Of Pyreflies and Souls in Spira
by Cross177
Summary: Ichigo, Uryu, Orihime, Chad, Tatsuki, and a select few of other Shinigami go to Spira and tries to find a way to get back home. But to do that, they need to defeat Sin with a summoner and her guardians. BleachxFFX crossover
1. Prolouge: Sin Arrives

I don't own Bleach and Final Fantasy X

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Soul Society, Department of Technology & Development

Every thing was normal around Karakura Town, more or less in the Soul Society, so far as Mayuri Kurotsuchi and his staff saw, that is, until they found a strange reading.

The alarms were going crazy and the SPP readings were off the chart.

"Captain, unidentified being in the human world," One of the staff members pointed out.

"I know that you idiot, I see it on the monitor…" The captain of twelfth squad spat, "but the question is what?"

"Sir!!!! Its spiritual readings are off the chart. The being has the power of that or more of a high leveled Menos, but the strange thing is sir, its not a Hollow." Another member shouted.

"What!?!" The outraged 12th captain ran over to the monitor shoving aside said staff member. "How can this be?" said Kurotsuchi reading the info on the monitor.

"Captain, we have a visual of the being" The first member said as he puts the video on screen, showing a huge beast about the size of your average space station or so.

Mayuri could hardly ever imagine anything could be that big, he thought that even the Special Forces wouldn't be a match for this thing. But then he say another figure somewhere on the screen. It was a man with a red jacket using one side as a sling, a jug on his side, holding a sword as big as his body, black-greyish dirty looking hair and shades with a scar on his right eye. "Now just who are you?"

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Meanwhile, in Karakura High

It was after the Winter War with Aizen whom was defeated, and everything was pretty calm, excluding the occasional Hollow attack but were mostly small fry.

Renji and Rukia stayed in Karakura, as well as staying in high school. Keigo, Mizuiro, and Tatsuki knew of Ichigo and the others spiritual powers. Luckily, they know that everyone was alright. Tatsuki had received some spiritual powers of her own, where her arms and legs are covered in a special material of her sprit energy creating gauntlets and grieves, mostly fitting her karate prowess.

"Man this is getting tiring," Tatsuki sighs after destroying a Hollow, "I don't know how you keep on doing this Ichigo." "Eh, I'm just special," Ichigo replies. "Ha, yeah "special" ed." Renji retorts to Ichigo as he and Rukia drops by. She and Tatsuki just laughs. In the distance were Chad, Uryu, and Orihime. But something was wrong, it looked like they were running from something, And that something had looked like a big black mutated bird.

Everyone had readied their weapons as Orihime shot Tsubaki at the creature,"_Koten Zashun, I reject._" immediately slicing it in half. Another few flew out of nowhere as pods stuck to the ground and unfolded themselves. Chad summoned forth his armor on his right arm,"_El Directo_" And blasted one of them to oblivion. Soon there was Uryu with his _Ginrei Kojaku_ trained at the second one with a shower of spirit arrows.

More kept on coming as Renji used his Zabimaru,"_Howl, Zabimaru_" taking quite a few out, Ichigo unsheathed his Zangetsu and swung his blade in a wave of spirit energy bellowing out his move, "_Gatsuga Tensho_" and rid off twice as much as Renji. Rukia was surrounded, that is until she released her zampaktou, "_Dance, Sode no Shirayuki, first dance, tsukishiro_"

Tatsuki, even if she was getting used to it, was still having trouble defeating her enemies considering the numbers, but as a martial artist, she wasn't too worried as she beat them down one by one. Soon they stopped coming and all had relaxed their guard to the point that they withdraw their weapons.

But there was something they noticed, the deceased remains of these strange enemies all dispersed into little white balls of light. "Wow, what are these things?" asked Orihime.

"I have no idea; I've never seen things like this before." Rukia says. "They look like smaller forms of a soul that makes up one." A certain white haired shinigami answers. "Toushiro." A vein bulged from his head from Ichigo's greeting, "That's Hitsugaya-_taichou_" Then there was the bald fight-loving shinigami Ikkaku Madrame landing next to the 10th Squad captain, "Yo Ichigo" "Hey, Ikkaku," "Taichou, what are you doing here?" Renji asks. "We got a new reading in the vicinity from Technology and Development, there seems to be a being that's over even the strongest Shinigami, even stronger than Ichigo's or Kenpachi's," Eye's widen as Ikkaku raises an eyebrow in curiosity. "But how?" asks Rukia, "We're not sure, but its nothing we've ever seen before."

Bickers, questions, and worries were going all around, but Tatsuki had other things on her mind as well as Chad who noticed Tatsuki. "Something on your mind Tatsuki?" Chad asks. "Nothing, just feel like something is coming, Something big."

Then all of a sudden, a wave of spiritual pressure hit them like a 10-ton weight. Everyone is trying to pinpoint the location. Hitsugaya finds somebody and chases after it. Everyone follows the white haired Shinigami to the park. But not what they had expected, it was a red-coated man with a blade as tall or more than him fighting off the same creatures they fought off a well. Though to the tenth squad captain dismay, it wasn't the same spiritual pressure they felt earlier.

"Taichou, is this the spiritual pressure we felt in the streets?" Ikkaku asks, but Toushiro shook his head. "No this man is much weaker than the one we felt earlier. But yet his power is that of a captain." "Tch, no kidding, his sword is as big as Ichigo's," Renji says.

In a few moments, a surge of power surrounds the red-coat as he leaps in the air and stabs the weapon to the ground, then pools of orange energy appears under each creature there, and out spurts a geyser of energy from each one almost simultaneously, killing each one.

"Pyreflies, beautiful but the end of one's story," said the man in red as those pyreflies disappear into the sky.

"Hey, Red-coat, what were those things?" Ichigo yells at the stranger from over the wall they were on, until Uryu shut him up by clamping his mouth shut. "Ichigo, what the hell do you think you're doing?" "What, they guy seems harmless enough, to us that is. I mean, did you see how he took care of those things." Ichigo argues. Soon Ichigo and Uryu got into a fight on whose right.

But for some strange reason, Tatsuki and Orihime could trust him like he say's. "Hey Orihime" The karate expert whispers to Orihime, "Yeah Tatsuki?" "I'm gonna go ask him what those things were, wait here." "Okay" As Tatsuki got close to the man, he spoke her question in her head as if he knew what she was about to say, "They are called sinspawn, remnants of something much bigger that's about to come." Tatsuki was confused on what he was saying, "You wanted to know what those creatures I defeated are, am I correct?" "Ah, yes. How did you know?" "Everyone should always know what they are up against, right." Then his eye turned to the crowd trying to separate the fight that started. "I'm supposing that the girl, you, and the big guy over there are friends with the Quincy and Shinigami over there." "Yes sir." Blabbed Orihime till it hit her head, "Wait, how you know…" Tatsuki soon interrupted the redhead, "What's going on here?"

"Hm, 'Sin is coming, its time to make your own story', tell that to your friends when they stop fighting." Responded the red-coated man, "Auron" They were still confused, "That's my name." Auron says as he leaves, until he's intercepted by Captain Hitsugaya who _shunpoed_ in front of him. "Halt, we have some questions for you." "Sorry, I don't feel like going into heaven right now." Answered Auron, " Those two girls should be able to answer your questions." Toushiro looked at Orihime and Tatsuki for a second, and then he lost trace of Auron's spiritual energy.

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Urahara Shoten

"'Sin is coming, its time to make your own story.' What does it mean?" asked Toushiro. Urahara was just as confused, but knowing him, its usually a lame ass ploy to hide what he knows.

The gang was in Urahara's living room, with Tessai, next to his boss, whilst Jinta and Ururu were out front sweeping.

"Urahara, what can you tell us about these sinspawn and that passage given to us by this man," Rukia asks. "Hmmm, sinspawn, can't say I remember them, or heard of them for that matter, but I would have to assume they are part of this 'Sin' thing that he spoke of." Was the answer Urahara gave. "Oh don't give me that 'I assume' crap Hat 'n Clogs, you always know something more than you let on!!!!" Yelled Ichigo.

All of a sudden, a huge amount of spiritual pressure had donned on them, like a building was pressing on them. All of them, Tatsuki, Renji, Rukia, Orihime, Chad, Ichigo, Ikkaku, and Toushiro ran towards the source. Out they saw a huge whale like thing in the sky above. Ikkaku smiles as he takes out his zampaktou, "This is what we're up against, ain't this all fine and dandy." "_This is the reading Captain Kurotsuchi told us about, this is Sin._" thought the Tenth squad Captain. Orihime just cried in Tatsuki's arms in fear, "I'm scared Tatsuki." She says shaken, but her friend was just speechless. As was Uryu and Chad, the Mexican wasn't this scared since his near death experience with his first Arrancar fight when Ichigo just barely saved him. Ichigo had Zangetsu out, but didn't know what to do, the same was for Rukia and Renji.

Just then Auron stepped into the scene in front of the crowd outside of the shop. Urahara was behind them but the eight didn't notice him. Auron looks at Urahara almost saying, 'Are you sure?' Hat 'n Clogs just nods. Ichigo took note of this and as if on cue, a pillar of light encircles them (except Urahara, Jinta, and Ururu who were in the front) and sucks them up along with Auron.

And just like that, they were gone, Sin included, Kisuke Urahara sighs, "Take care of them, hope you can save him."

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Somewhere

Ichigo lies on a stone floor when he feels someone poking him with a stick, soon to find consciousness. His eyes awaken to some stone stairs and a kid about his age with blonde hair and weird clothes (in his standard). Behind the stranger was some temple ruins or something.

"Hey," the stranger spoke, "are you okay?"

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TO BE CONTINUED

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(translations)

Koten Zashun - Solitary Sacred Cutting Shield

El Directo - Giant's Attack

Gatsuga Tensho - Fang Piercing Moon

Tsukishiro - White Moon

Ginrei Kojaku - Silver Peak Sparrow Bow

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R&R plz, I would like to see how I did thx.


	2. Chapter 1: 1st Steps in Spira

I don't own Bleach or Final Fantasy X

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"Uh, where am I?" the substitute shinigami asked clutching his head. "Well beats me, I just woke up on a pile of rocks in the water over there." Said pointing over to the wide body of water littered with small piles of rubble of what used to be buildings.

Ichigo sat up rubbing the back of his head as well as checking if Zangetsu was still with him. The stranger just extended his arm to help him out to stand up before introducing himself,"Hey, my name is Tidus, star player of the blitzball team the Zanarkand Abes." "Well, can't say I've heard of Zanarkand, or blitzball for that matter, but my name is Ichigo Kurosaki, Substitute Shinigami of Karakura Town." "Guess, that makes two of us, both from two different worlds not knowing whats around us," Tidus replies. "So, where do you think we are Tidus?" "I would be asking, the same question." After they realized it was raining, "Let's head over to the building over there," suggested Ichigo. Tidus quickly agreed.

Up the stairs, and cross the bridge they were half way on the other side, till the bridge crumbled. Both fell in the water as they resurfaced, "Well, any ideas?" Tidus asked. "Let's try and find another way in…." Ichigo says pulling out Zangetsu,"….after we beat these monsters." The two swordsmen dived under to face the three fish creatures around them until there was only one left. The three were in a stand still floating in the water until a bigger fish chomping on the fish.

Now they had to face a bigger fish with fists. After a few minutes of hacking, slashing, and dodging, it swam after them. They took this as a hind to run, or swim in this matter. Once they were able to find an open hole, it widened its mouth to eat them; it was the final stretch as the thing exhaled blowing them inside the gate.

They got up to find themselves in a dank and murky stairway. "Well, out of the frying pan, and into freezer, right Tidus." said Ichigo. "Yeah you said it Ichigo."

Walking up the stairs, they both started to talk, "So Tidus, what's your story of ending up here?" "Well, like I said, I was the star player of the blitzball team the Zanarkand Abes. It was a big tournament and almost everyone in Zanarkand was there." "Wow, sounds like a pretty big place." Says Ichigo surprised. "Yeah, and in the middle of the game, I was about to make a big shot, that is until Sin attacked my home." "Wait, Sin." "You know it?" "Not much, other than the fact that it was the last thing I saw when got here, that and that Auron guy." Ichigo explains when they hit a door. "How do you know Auron?" Tidus exclaimed pushing open the door," You know him?" "Yeah, he's also the reason I'm here." Tidus explains as they both get the passage open, only to find them in a large room. In the center near the used campfire was a familiar person, "Orihime!!!" She shivered responding to Ichigo's voice, still in her clothes as she was when she left.

"Ichi..go. Is that….you?" It was the most she could say, she was cold and they needed a fire. After all she's only human. Tidus looks at her," Man, she doesn't look too good, we need a fire." "Alright, can you go find some supplies for one, I'm gonna try and keep her warm." Ichigo says as he puts the top of his shihakusho around Orihime. "Don't worry Orihime, Tidus is gonna get us some supplies," This made Orihime smile a bit in relief, but Ichigo had a frown that said otherwise as he thought, "If we can get any supplies around this place."

Tidus walks around and winds some dried plants for tinder. "Now all we need is some flint or a lighter," he thought. He headed over to a nearby door where, like all the other rooms, was trashed. There he was able to find the flint rocks. Tidus heads over to the main room with the supplies and started the fire. The three of them there sat in front of the fire, Orihime was still weak, but could still manage to stand after a few minutes in front of the fire. All they had in common, besides being lost was that they were all hungry as hell, hearing the grumbles of their stomach. "Ohhh, I'm hungry," whined Orihime. "Don't worry, you're not the only one." replied Ichigo. "Uhh, we need food." moaned Tidus. Then silence.

Few minutes later, Ichigo decided to break the silence "So, while we wait and starve to death why don't tell us about yourself, my friend would probably like to know a bit about you?" Orihime nods. "Okay but only if you tell me what a shinigami is." Tidus replies. "Well I guess it's only fair." Ichigo sighs. "A shinigami is one who sends wandering souls to heaven and purify Hollows." "Hollows?" Orihime explains by telling him what Hollows were. "Hollows are these frightening creatures with white masks from another dimension that eats souls, living and dead, which used to be wandering souls." "Wow, sounds dangerous." "At least she didn't have Rukia's drawings as an example." thought Ichigo.

After that whole speech, they noticed the fire was starting to flicker out. Tidus and Ichigo noticed and panicked as Orihime looked worried. "Aww man, don't die on us now!!!" Ichigo complained at the flickering flame trying to blow on it. "Tidus did the same," Hang on, we'll get more wood." As Tidus was about to find something to feed the fire, Orihime noticed some creatures shifting on the ceiling, she noticed one of them about to pounce on Ichigo when he looked at the red head.

"Hm, Orihime, what's wrong?" The creature was half way towards the floor till Orihime screamed, "ICHIGO, LOOK OUT!!!!!" The orange haired shinigami looked above behind him looking at the creature guarding himself with Zangetsu. Lightning flashed when the claws of the creature hit the side of the blade, at the same time Tidus spotted the monster's friend on a statue dropping down to the floor. The first one had hopped from Ichigo's blade next to the other. Tidus grabbed his sword when Ichigo armed himself to the blonde's left as Orihime stood on Tidus' right.

"Hey, Orihime, think you can take them on?" Tidus asked. "Don't worry about me; I have my own special abilities." One of them was close as she recited her kotodama, "Hingaku, Baigon, Lily…." Tidus noticed her hair pins glinting, "What the…?" "_Santen Kesshun, I reject!!!_" finished Orihime as three lights shot from her hairpin creating a triangular shield cracking its claws. "Wow, that's a pretty good shield." Tidus said wide eyed. "Hey Tidus, little help here." Ichigo struggling with the second one as Orihime went for a deathblow towards her opponent, "Tsubaki, Koten Zanshun, I reject." A single glint was shot as a circular shield zoomed towards the enemy slicing it in half, crying in death disappearing in pyreflies. Orihime kneeled in exhaust. Tidus gave a slash at the second creature; same was done from Ichigo as he noticed the girl kneeling. "Orihime, are you okay?" "I'm okay, just exhausted." "Okay, how about this, Gatsuga Tensho!" Letting out a wave of energy, it dodged and got between the two and slashed them in their shoulder knocking them down.

And in a few moments, one of the sealed doors was blasted open by what seems like a bomb, sliding near a few piles of rubble. Out of the dust was a few people with guns and gas masks, the one who approached them was a girl in a red wet suit and goggles on her eyes who seemed to be the leader. She took her position in front of the two circling her arm as if she was gonna fight it. "Hey, your on our side, cool." Tidus said to the girl propping himself with his sword. She grabbed an item for what seemed like a grenade. She popped the key and threw it at the creature blowing the thing up in a cloud of pyreflies.

After the fight, Tidus, Ichigo, and Orihime were helped up by these new people. Orihime was about to thank them, "Thank y… hey!?!" until they pointed their weapons bayonets to her neck. Same was done to Tidus and Ichigo, and one of them spoke in a strange language they weren't familiar with, "(Fiends. In human disguise.) " "(We kill them?)" another said. Ichigo looked at Tidus and Orihime whispering," Hey, got any idea what they're saying." Both shook their heads, till one of them hit Ichigo on his head. "Ow, okay I get I'll shut up."

"(Wait!)" The new girl said suddenly, "(What if they're human?)" The whole thing was lost to them, until the girl walked to Tidus, "(Sorry.)" She said as the girl's fist knocked the wind out of him unconscious. The other two were signaled to follow, and they obeyed. "Ichigo, these people scare me," "Orihime, don't worry we'll be fine, I'll try to get us and Tidus out of here.

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Mystery Ship

Out in the middle of the sea on a ship Ichigo and Orihime saw Tidus wake up, "Hey, where are we?" Tidus said groggily. "We're on a ship occupied by these people in the gas mask and/or goggles." Ichigo explained. "I wonder what they'll do to us." Orihime whimpered.

The door on the deck they're on had opened and out came the same guys from the ruins, plus one other new person who had a Mohawk and a pair of overalls with a strange tattoo on his chest. He went over to Tidus, speaking in the new language. Tidus was confused on what he was saying, so then the other guy went to grunts and sign language. "It almost looks like he's asking him to swim." Orihime suggested, "Seems like it to me." replied Ichigo. The girl in the red suit translated, "He's saying that you and your friends can stay if you help out." "Wha…" Tidus, Orihime, and Ichigo said, "You can understand us!?!" Tidus just got hit, "Okay I'll help out!!!" He was let go and thrown to the other two 'guests' on the ship. After a few minutes the girl walked to Tidus, "There are some ancient ruins underwater, it's not working right now but there should be some power left. We'll be going down and activate it. Then we'll be able to salvage the big prize." They just nodded, "Okay, let's get to work." the girl cheered pumping a fist into the air.

Just a few hours passed since Tidus swam in. "Gee, I hope Tidus is okay." Orihime said with some concern. "Yeah, those two have been down there for a while now." replied Ichigo. Suddenly the search lights went on and started scanning the seas. Soon after, Tidus and the girl got up as a few others swam down. "Hey, how was your swim?" the shinigami had asked. "Don't ask." replied the blitzball player.

Another few hours of waiting commenced as the girl went back inside. Tidus tried to go in but he was pushed out. "Hey, I helped," he complained as the door closed. "Well, isn't that rude of them." the redhead humphed crossing her arms.

Soon, the mystery girl got out with a couple of trays of food and they just dug in, "All right!" cheered Tidus. The male blonde choked on his food as a result of scarfing it down. The girl gave him some water which he gladly accepted, she smiled and giggled," It's because you ate too fast." Finishing the food and leaving the trays they stood up and stretched in content. Orihime then asked, "So what's your name?" "Rikku." she answered. "Whoa!!! You really do understand!!!" Tidus exclaimed. "Yeah, what was your first clue genius?" Ichigo asked plainly, but Orihime nudged him, "Ichigo, don't be rude to Tidus." Ichigo pondered for a second, "Wait a minute, if you could understand us, why didn't you tell us at the ruins?" "I never got a chance to. We thought 'oui' was a fiend." Rikku explains. "'We'?" Tidus asked. "Oh, 'oui' means 'you'." she explained.

"So who are you guys anyways?" Tidus asked the girl as she walked to the railing. "We're Al Bhed, can't you tell." was the reply that they got. "Well we don't really know what an Al Bhed is." Ichigo replied back. "Wait, you aren't Al Bhed haters are you?" she asked hoping they would say no. "No, why would you ask that?" Orihime answered. "Where are you guys from?" the Al Bhed girl asked. "Karakura Town, Japan." Ichigo answered for him and Orihime. "Zanarkand. " Tidus answered for his part, "I'm a blitzball player," he added as she looked at him with concern, "Star player of the Zanarkand Abes." "And Ichigo here is a shinigami," Orihime told her for Ichigo, "I'm only a substitute." She looked at the two quizzically before saying some thing, "Um… Did you three hit your head or something?" "No, except for you guys" Tidus answered. " Oh, what about before then?" He said everything about Zanakand that he knows, as well as Ichigo and Orihime sharing their information about Karakura and the Soul Society and he being a shinigami, the only similarities to those stories at the end was the creature named Sin.

"You guys were near Sin," Rikku said realizing what she heard as if she figured out the answer. "And what's that have to do with anything?" Ichigo pondered out loud, "Well, they say that when you go near Sin, you start to lose your memories," she explained. "So it's like we have amnesia," Orihime asked. "More or less, yeah," the Al Bhed girl explained. But everyone else seemed a bit down. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you guys are all better," she said all cheery like. She went back inside but remembered something. " Oh, I almost forgot, don't tell anyone where you guys are from, Yevon says that Zanarkand is a holy place, and most will think you may be losing your mind if you tell about that Soul Society place or Karakura, considering that those places don't exist."

All of a sudden, the boat rocked violently, few Al Bhed crewmen came out to the deck and slipped to the railing. "SIN!!!" he yelled, as a few others rolled over. Rikku held on to the rail but Tidus, Orihime, and Ichigo was forced off the boat into the sea, only to be taken by the current.

All the three could see, was darkness.

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TO BE CONTINUED

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Another chapter down, plz review, and suggest which Bleach character will they find next.

If ya can't rember who was taken in the 1st chap, here's a list of characters.

**Tatsuki** (definitely in the next chap)

**Chad**

**Uryu**

**Renji**

**Rukia**

**Ikkaku**

**Toushiro **(not him, I figured where this guy will be)

I'll be adding 1 or 2 characters in each chapter. Maybe.

R&R thx


	3. Chapter 2: Warm Welcomes and Traditions

I don't own Bleach or Final Fantasy X

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Somewhere

Ichigo just stood there in darkness, not knowing what's going on, or where the Shinigami is. It was pure nothingness. "Hello!!! Anyone there? " Ichigo shouted into the sky, "ANYBODY?" "I suggest you stop that Shinigami, if you did that in public, people will think you're crazy," someone said in the darkness of the area. "Who are you? What am I doing here?" "Relax Shinigami, we're just in a dream we control," a feminine voice had answered before another masculine voice followed, "Yeah, kukuku, we just want to ask you a few questions is all, hee hee." "SHOW YOURSELVES!!!" the orange-haired shinigami yelled pulling Zangetsu. "Yeesh, calm down carrot top, we're right behind you, but first, lets put down the weapons," a fourth male voice tried to say reassuringly as five lights shined in five spaces behind them, and his zampakto was weighed down by an unknown force. Those lights revealed five people, whom of which were in shihakushos but was wearing hoods, unable to identify their faces. The one in the center spoke, which had seemed to be the last new voice to speak, "We know who you are, Ichigo Kurosaki?" Ichigo was a bit taken back, "How do you know me, how much did you know about me?" "We know a lot about you, you being a Vaizard, your battle with Souske Aizen, even your ancestry." "My ancestry?" "Guess the old man never told you, but all that aside, we want to ask you to join us, we will meet you in a town called Luca and expect an answer in a 5 day period." Soon they all started to disappear one by one till the shinigami in the center was left. But Ichigo wasn't finished, soon found himself running towards him as he started drifting to the distance, "Wait, what do guys want from me, what about my ancestry?" "All will be told in time," the figure answered as the man vanished, "shouldn't you be waking up now."

Besaid Village, Inn Cottage

"…igo, Ichigo, are you okay? Ichigo wake up!!!" The substitute Shinigami shot right up smacking his head to Orihime's putting them both down. "Ow, Orihime, next time you're next to me, move out of the way quickly." "Well, look who's up." Ichigo turned from the bed to see who's voice that belonged to, "Tatsuki!!!" "Good morning to you too," she responded. "Hey, Ichigo, you okay now?" Tidus asked walking up behind Tatsuki to the bed Ichigo was on. "Hey, wait a minute, can I ask some questions here. Where are we, and how in the world did I get in this bed?"

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(A/N) Flashbacks _Flashback_

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(Tatsuki's POV)

_Besaid Island, Beach_

_Well, to start off, we're on Besaid Island, we found you, Orihime, and Tidus over at the beach when me and the Aurochs were training for the blitzball tournament coming up. When we saw you and Orihime on the shore I recognized you two immediately and checked to see if you two were all right. Almost the same place and way I was when I first arrived here. My friend Wakka, the blitzball captain was able to help me get you two off the shore. One of the other blitzers that were with us noticed Tidus in the water. I think it was Wakka who chucked the blitzball at him._

(Normal POV)

_Tidus woke up in the water heaving for looking left and right to see if there was any civilization anywhere. Then out of nowhere, a blue ball with little bumps on it smacked the blitzball player. " Blitzball!!!" Tidus exclaimed. "Hey, you okay," a figure on the shore looked like he was waving at him. "Heeey!!! " Tidus waved back. Soon, he popped the ball into the air before hopping into the air himself doing a Sphere Shot which zoomed passed between the a man in a yellow overall uniform and Tatsuki. "Whoa." was the response from the orange haired captain_

"_Wow that was a great kick." Tatsuki complimented as the blitzball player swam towards the shore of the beach. The one in the yellow uniform confronted the newcomer, "You no newbie, what's your name, and who do you play for?" "I'm Tidus, I play for the Zanarkand Abes." The smile from the man faltered hearing the name going unnoticed by Tatsuki, "Hey, is something wrong Wakka?" The Blitzball captain inched a little closer to the blonde blitzer, "Did you hit your head or something?" he questioned Tidus. "Uh, I got to close to Sin, so my head's all foggy-like."_

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End Flashback

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"….and by then Orihime woke, gave her little bubbly intro and got the welcome. You, Ichigo was out so I had to carry you with Orihime's help. We took the trail over here, and Wakka and Tidus took the swimmers pass." Tatsuki sighed after that little lengthy story she told. "Wow, I didn't know I was out that long," Ichigo said slowly getting off the bed grabbing Zangetsu from the side. "So are there any of the others here that was with us?" "So there are more of you?" Tidus asked hearing this. "Yeah," Tatsuki started answering Tidus's question turning to Ichigo to answer his, "… and as for the others, Rukia is here, but she left with some of the other residents from this village." Orihime soon spotted Wakka coming from his tent waving to him, "Hey Tidus, enjoying the village sights?" "Yeah, it's amazing to see how many people are in such a small village." Tidus replied "Yeah, it's amazing that such a small village like us to survive this long. But thanks to the Crusaders, they were able to hold Sin back from such disasters." "The Crusaders, who are they?" Orihime asked. Tatsuki turned to her to answer the orange haired girl's question, "The Crusaders are a group of people who are excommunicated from the religions of the temples that are located everywhere around Spira."

"Okay boys and girls, why don't you guys head over to the village temple," Wakka suggested to the four. "Maybe you guys can remember something there, ya." "Sure Wakka, we'll be there in a little bit," Tatsuki answered to the blitz captain. The man just nods as he walked into his hut.

Ichigo looks around as he watched the village children run around the center and the temple as the four walked towards the entrance of the holy grounds. Upon entering the temple there they saw people there doing this weird prayer, stretching their arms out and circled it to a position where it looked like they were holding a sphere or a ball. "Weird" the Shinigami thought. "Wow, who are all these people?" Orihime asked in amazement looking at the four statues, two each between the set of stairs leading up to a door to another room. A nearby priest heard her astonished voice and answered her question. "These statues are the heroes of Spira," the priest had started as Tidus and Ichigo crowded near the red head to listen to the man's history lesson, "…men who has defeated Sin and brings the Calm each earning the title of High Summoner. It has been ten years that has passed sice Lord Braska became High Summoner." Tidus practically had no idea what the guy said so he had to ask, "Um, excuse me but, what's a summoner?" All of the temple tenants and visitors gasped until Tatsuki piped up and gave an excuse for the question, "Um, they got too close to Sin so don't mind them of what they said." These people took this excuse and started murmuring until someone spoke up and did a prayer, "Praise be to Yeavon."

Upon exiting the temple Ichigo rubs his head looking back at the temple, "Is it just me or is the people too high strung on the whole Sin's toxin thing?" Tatsuki sighed, "Ichigo, after being here a few days, I've learned that Sin is death incarnate, the ultimate evil, and everyone's dispair this Sin is thing is possibly the one that Auron mentioned," Tidus did a double take towards Tatsuki, "How did you guys meet Auron anyways?" "Well..." Tatsuki was interrupted by Wakka who saw them walking down. "Hey, you guys went to the temple?" "Yep," Ichigo answered, Wakka smiled, "Hey why don't you guys rest for a bit, you look bushed, "Nah, I'm not tired," was the reply from the black haired martial artist, "I was actually gonna take another look around the village," Orihime said to the captain, but Ichigo looked tired as he yawned, "Well, I'm gonna hit the hay," "Same here," Tidus said right after.

The afternoon hit and Wakka's hut had a visitor, it was a priest from the Temple. "You can at least see how they are doing?" "We can't interfere, it's a rule," "But…It's been nearly."

Ichigo and Tidus woke up from their nap both letting out a yawn, but then they noticed that Wakka wasn't in his hut, "Where's Wakka?" Tidus asked, but the Shinigami shrugged as if saying, 'I don't know.' The boys found the girls, "Hey guys, have a good nap you two?" Tatsuki asked them, they nod just when Tidus asks Orihime and Tatsuki, "You two know where Wakka is?" Tatsuki shrugged, but Orihime knew, "I think I saw Wakka and some of the other villagers go inside the temple, but they seemed worried about something." "Hm, wonder what that could be?" the Shinigami asked rubbing his chin. "Well, let's check it out and see what is wrong," was the response from the blonde blitzer heading towards the temple doors, the rest quickly followed suit.

Inside was about all of the villagers, including Wakka, in front of the steps, but the captain looked worried, "Is something wrong Wakka?" Orihime asked with concern in her voice. "The summoner hasn't returned from the trials." "Who? " Tidus asked. "Well, actually its apprentice summoner." "What's beyond those stairs?" Ichigo asked. "It's a room up those stairs called the Cloister of Trials." Ichigo's face was still confused on what was going on so Tatsuki explained the jist of what Wakka was saying. " The Cloister of Trials is where Summoners, or apprentice Summoner in this case, goes in and pray," Tatsuki tried to explain to him. Wakka also tried to help out as well, "The Fayth is what they pray to, and if the prayer is heard, then they become a full fledged summoner." Tidus gets what's going on but he paraphrased the situation just to see what was going on, "So someone is in there somewhere, and they haven't come come back out." The blitz captain nods with worry. "So how long have they been in there Wakka?" Tatsuki asked. "About a day has gone by." Ichigo seemed a little shaky by this information, "Is it dangerous in there?" "Sometimes, yeah," was another grim answer from Wakka. "Then why don't you go in there?" Tidus asked. "There are already guardians in there, besides, it's forbidden." The carrot top shinigami couldn't take it anymore so he proceeded onto the steps, "Forbidden, forschmidden, if some one needs help, we offer the help." Tatsuki couldn't believe her eyes, "Ichigo…" But Tidus interrupted her rant, "Yeah, I mean what if the summoner dies?" A priest stands next to Wakka giving a say to the youths, "The precepts must be obeyed!!!" The two on the top of the stairs look at each other and looked back, "Like we care!!!" they say in unison entering those doors, receiving gasps and murmurs from the other villagers. Tatsuki and Orihime looked worried about their friend's actions; Orihime quickly whispers to Tatsuki, "I hope they make it out okay," "You and me both Orihime."

Cloister of Trials, Besaid

In the Trials was the first room which had a glowing glyph inside. The two both had second thoughts about this, Ichigo especially, "I think, we may end up regretting this somehow," he said rubbing the back of his neck. Looking back, the entrance closed up, "Well, there's no turning back now," Tidus comments.

Proceeding through, was many glyph touching, sphere placement, and occasional backtracking. Finally they hit the last point where they push a pedestal to a spot on the floor in another room, nearby. The floor turned to a lift where a familiar voice was heard, "Hey!!! What's gotten into you two?" They turn around and see it belonged to Wakka. They tried to answer the question, but, "Well…um…uh…ya see…" Wakka cut them off, "Hey, its okay," he explained reassuringly, following them on the lift, "only summoners, apprentice summoners, and their guardians are allowed in, its tradition." Ichigo gave him a look, "Hey wait a minute, what about you?" "Me, I'm a guardian." "A guardian," Tidus asked, but Wakka shook his head. Then the lift suddenly went down as Wakk explained the job and duties of a Summoner, mostly about a pilgrimage and temples and praying.

At the bottom of the trials, he finished his information about the guardians job to protect summoners, "There are already a couple guardians there, one has a short fuse, and who knows what the other is thinking, but the last one, is strangely dressed like you Ichigo, but a bit smaller and more petite. Ichigo definitely thought who that would be, "_Rukia_" "Well, we made it this far, might as well go all the way, ya." Wakka said walking into the final room.

In the final room, was three people, one was a woman with a big bust, deep violet eye shadow, and dress with many buckles on the lower half, "What are you doing here? Didn't think we be able to handle it?" she spoke to Wakka. The other two eyed the other figure, which wasn't exactly a human, but a big blue cat-like man with a broken horn, in a armor like tunic. Wakka was stammering, sounding like he didn't have a good excuse. "See, I told she'd get mad easy," the older blitzer whispered to them. Tidus was still worried on the summoner, so he had to ask, "Is the summoner all right?" the woman gasped, and then looking at him, "Who are you?" This time Ichigo spoke, "Hey, the guy asked how the summoner was doing." Then she looked at Ichigo, eyeing his clothes, and especially his equipment, Zangetsu which was secured into his back. Then a new voice chipped in, "The summoner is just fine, nothing has happened to her yet Ichigo," "Rukia, you know this man?" the woman asked. The girl emerged from her place near one of the fire places, still in the same shihakusho as Ichigo, but her zampaktou, _Sode no Shiriouki _was on the side of her waist. "Yes, he was that man we told you about, Ichigo Kurosaki," The door opens from the chamber atop the next set of stairs.

Out came a beautiful woman, around Ichigo's age, she walked out looking exhausted. Suddenly her legs gave way; everyone was about to run to her, but the blue cat-man was able to catch her in time. "I did it, I have become a summoner."

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Temple of Besaid

"Well, this was a pretty interesting day," Tidus said as he and Ichigo were the last ones to exit the Cloister of Trials, "Hm, what do you mean?" Ichigo asked, "I actually thought they were all old geezers." "Well, haven't you heard of 'Things aren't what they seem to be'?" Turning around they saw the voice belonged to Tatsuki, "What were you two thinking?" she said smacking them on the head. "Aw, c'mon Tatsuki, they were just worried." Orihime said. "(sigh) Well, at least Yuna's safe." "Hey, come over here, you guys are gonna love this!!!" Wakka shouted as the exited the temple.

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Besaid Village

They come out and heads towards the center of the village where the villagers crowded. Wakka got Tidus and Ichigo in a head lock and were dragged towards the center. "Hey, what are you…" Ichigo stopped his complaining as he and Tidus saw the girl named Yuna being given the signal by Wakka to start, "Ready!!!" "Okay." Yuna replies.

She held her staff in front of her and struck a stance holding the object in front of her. A strange circle glowed below her feet and balls of light shot from the circle and shot above the sky. The light combined till something flew down the sky. It came until it opened up which seemed to be a pair of wings, the bird creature came down to the ground as it allowed it to pet its red feathered neck.

The black dressed woman, which they were told by Tatsuki her name, was Lulu, told them of the flying creature, "The bird Aeon, Valefore."

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TO BE CONTINUED

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Thanks for reading my fic. I appreciate it, but if you guys can plz review.

It makes me feel so good that you guys appreciate this fic.

Thx

_-Cross177_


	4. Chapter 3: Attack and Test

Yeah, yeah, I don't own Bleach and Final Fantasy X

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It was the night of Yuna's first summoning as a Summoner, a bonfire was in the center of the village, and the old and the little were talking Yuna. Tatsuki was with Tidus as two new members of the Besiad Aurochs. "So guys, I'm glad to say that we have two new members of the Aurochs, Tatsuki and Tidus." Wakka had introduced them pushing them towards the team. "Um, hi ya," Tidus greeted nervously, "It'll be a good time to play with you guys," Tatsuki said for herself. Suddenly the tone of Tidus's voice changed, "So, what our goal?" "TO DO OUR BEST!!" shouted the Aurochs in unison. Tidus just chuckled a bit and Wakka had informed them of their new motto, "No, we have a new goal now, and our new goal is 'Victory', to beat every opponent and to bring back the Crystal Cup back to Besaid." The Aurochs tried out their new chant until they got the hang of it and started to chant that very word, "VICTORY, VICTORY, VICTORY!!" Tatsuki was a bit skeptical on this, but she thought that if Ichigo could trust him, then he was good in her book. "So, when did you think about changing the motto now," she asked. "Well, it is gonna be my last game, so might as well go out with a bang," Wakka quietly whispered to Tatsuki, "…and with you two we have no problem filling in that goal," saying that last bit out loud as he grabbed Tatsuki's and Tidus' head in a headlock.

Ichigo and Rukia were talking as they watched the Aurochs experimenting with their newfound motto and watching how Orihime and Yuna giggling with each others company. "So Rukia, how did you end up on this island?" Ichigo asked. "I'm not really sure; all I know was that we were in Karakura, then nothing. The next thing I knew I was in the arms of Kimahri, the big cat-man, and with him was Lulu, Wakka, and Tatsuki." Then Ichigo just realized something, "Hey wait, you said that he carried you?" the veteran Shinigami nodded, "But I thought that no one with spiritual powers could see or touch you." "That's what I though too, but after seeing the special abilities they had, such as Khimari's ability to utilize his opponent's attacks against them, Lulu's magic, and even Wakka's ability to add an element boost to his ball." Ichigo had a confused look on his face but Rukia explained Wakka's fighting style, "Anyways it wasn't until I saw one of the village civilians touch me. And up to now, I can't see how regular humans here could see us, more or less touch us."

Finishing up what she was saying they heard one of the elders near Yuna speak to Tidus, "Stay away from the summoner," "You heathen," spoke another. "You're a bad man," spoke one of the children. Yuna got up to talk to the blitzer, one of the elderly grabbed her hand to warn her, "Lady Yuna, be carful," "Don't worry," she responded. Then in her mind, she heard a howl, a blood curdling cry of something unnatural. Lulu noticed her actions, "Yuna, is anything wrong?" The summoner smiled as if nothing really was wrong, "Its nothing." She went ahead to talk to Tidus, but his eyes showed that there was something wrong. Even he heard that cry.

To the eyes of Orihime, Tatsuki, and the Shinigami, they know that cry anywhere. THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, was the sounds only hearable to everyone there, with the tremors coming towards them, louder, and more powerful than the next. Almost everyone couldn't keep their footing due to the quakes. "WHAT IN YEAVON?" BOOM!!! The gate of the village was destroyed and broken into splinters.

Screams and cries were heard once the creature was visible in the eyes of the village. The creature was like a giant animal with a long tail; it had a white mask that covered at least half of its body with tendrils found underneath and second pair of teeth under as it roared. All were shocked and scared out of their minds to even move. It looked around as if it was finding something, once it locked onto Yuna, it just lunged in front of her before she had a chance to run. This actually snapped everyone out of their frozen trance to run towards the temple.

Tidus had to think fast as the creature grabbed her with its tongue. He grabbed his sword and struck at its hide, but proved futile once the creature struck him away. "Ichigo," Rukia called to him, "…we need to help them!!!" Wakka was next to them preparing his ball and Lulu bringing out her doll. "What in Yeavon is that thing?" he asked. "It's a Hollow!" Tatsuki answered for him as she prepped her spirit armor appearing onto her out of nothing. "A what," Lulu asked this time. "They are creatures from another dimension that feed on the souls, living or dead." Orihime answered this time. The two still didn't understand what they're saying, because to them, it was still another fiend. Wakka started attacking with his ball, but was batted back at him. Lulu sent a fire spell, but when that hit, it just shook off the spell like it was nothing.

The tongue wrapped around her was slowly pulling her in Yuna was screaming for her life. Wakka, Tidus, and Lulu surrounded the creature in order for a triple attack. On the outer circle were the four newcomers. All of a sudden someone in a shihakusho much like Rukia and Ichigo's, with the exception of the black shades on his eyes and the two short blades strapped to his waist had appeared out of nowhere. "Sorry," he spoke in a young voice. "But I can't let you guys interfere, this is not for you to face."

Kimahri using his jump ability aimed his spear to the newcomers head from the bushes. And in a flash, before they could blink, his hand holding his short sword blocked the spear in Kimahri's hands. "Foolish Ronso," he flicked the Ronso off the sword landing right next to Lulu. "You okay Khimari," he just grunted. The mysterious man held up his index and middle fingers, "Bokudo #1: SAI!!!" Then by some unknown force, with a swish of his fingers, gravity held the three Spirians and Tidus, on the floor with their hands behind their backs, immediately dropping their weapons. Rukia and Ichigo immediately knew that it was a Kido spell, instantly told them that he was a Shinigami. "And now, I must take my leave," he said flash stepping out of the scene, the Hollow still inching the summoner into its mouth. "YUNA!!!" they all screamed. One orange haired shinigami came to the rescue as Ichigo plunged down onto the Hollows tongue with Zangetsu, instantly severing the appendage from its mouth, roaring in pain dropping her to the ground.

The Hollow tried using its tendrils to grab Yuna but Tatsuki stopped it by sending a wave of energy slamming her fist at the ground, hitting it on the side of the beast. Now it turned its attention towards Tatsuki, unleashing its tendrils, but this time was different, these had barbs and spikes on them, one of the said tendrils thrust towards the karate fighter. She dodged it but, the creature's weapon nicked her on the ankle when it retracted. She winced in pain rolling on the floor, clutching her leg; the armor unfortunately didn't protect her ankle or her foot. It stuck again at her, but then a bright orange shield collided with the Hollow's spiked tendrils; it was Orihime using her _Santen Kesshun_ shield from a lethal hit from the Hollow. All were amazed at the powers that these people have, anyone near the temple was amazed to see the abilities that the foreigners held.

"Dance, _Sode no Shirayuki,_" Rukia calling out her zampakuto as it turned into the white as snow katana it is with the white ribbon attached at the butt of the sword. She was near the Hollow that was about to attack her till she pulled out her first move, "First dance, _Tsukishiro_," the next thing they knew, a white circle surrounded her and the beast, and immediately froze its feet and attacking appendages. It struggled to get out and started to crack the ice it was partially imprisoned in. She quickly hopped a few yards away from the Hollow and started the next part of her attack, poking the ground in four equal places in front of her, four bright white lights came out in sparkles, holding up her sword over her head, and she pointed it toward towards the thing. "Second dance, _Hakuren_," Thrusting her blade towards it, the blast immediately had the whole body of the Hollow frozen.

But it wasn't over yet, its tendrils were still alive enough to break the ice and aim its attack still at Yuna, she was ready to defend with her staff. Closing her eyes expecting to be hit, the pain wasn't there, but a rough battle cry was heard made by Ichigo. She opened her eyes and saw the blood that flowed from the tendrils, severed and the part still attached to it. But the ice was still cracking, and Ichigo had a good grip with his sword, "Time to finish this you bastard," he held Zangetsu over his head and gathered his energy for his signature attack, "_Gatsuga Tensho_." The wave of the blast instantly destroyed the Hollow, where it dissipated, though not into a butterfly, but in a bunch of pyreflies. "Well, that's pretty different," thought Ichigo, expecting it to be a butterfly.

CLAP, CLAP, CLAP. Clapping was heard as they immediately turned to look behind Ichigo. The man in shades was back, and smiling like they had achieved something, "Good work, looks like you defeated the Hollow and saved the Lady summoner," he said undoing the kido spell. "Shut up, who are you and what do you want with Yuna?" Tatsuki yelled at him. The mystery Shinigami just chuckled, amused, "Oh, come now, what would I want with the Lady Summoner, I mean, it's not like I hold a grudge against her."

"Oh, shut up Bez, we're not here to spoil everything," interjected a new female voice from one of the broken poles of the used to be gate, she looked like she was in her early twenties with a red streak in her shoulder length hair, she to was in a shihakusho zampakuto on her side. "Oh come now Kana, I'm just having my fun with these guys." Bez said. "Yeah, but that's not worth getting killed over by the boss, we're to deliver the message to him." Rukia drew her sword and pointed it towards the bickering duo, "Just wait a minute here you two, just who are you and, what's the message are you here to deliver?" Kana just glared at her, "Well, well, aren't we testy today, but fine, I'm Kana," "And I'm Bez," the other guy introduced himself. "And unfortunately, the message is not for you, but to your orange haired friend over there." Ichigo stepped in next to Rukia, "What do you want?" he asked pushing down Rukia's weapon.

"We wanted to give you that incentive on what will happen, show you that we have an offer you can't refuse," Bez answered in a cheesy mafia tone. Kana again slaps him on the back of his head, "Stop with the horsing around, with all of your cracks, we may end up dead if he were to…" "'If he were to' what?" a newer deeper male had entered the scene, standing atop the temple. "Just how many more of you are there!?!" Wakka shouted.

"Just two more," another voice chipped in behind him. He was a boy, no older than the age of 14, just balancing on the tent tops. Another mystery shinigami was below the kid; this time he was a more muscular man, who just crossed his arms, and his face holing a stoic look with scars across his whole face. The little one hopped down, coming back up he would give the most adorable smile that can even match Yachiru's, "Hi, my name Shu," he introduced himself. The larger man had a speech pattern that matches his appearance, tough, "I'm Chu, his brother."

"And I'm Shin, I guess you understand what we mean due to this attack." Ichigo saw this in a movie once, "So you're just nudging me to your side, is that it? And if I join you, everyone won't be harmed, right?" Bez just chuckled a bit with a menacing smile that made everyone feel uncomfortable, "Wow, check out the brains on him, he may suck in sensing spiritual pressure, but he's pretty smart." "Are you guys off your nut? What the hell makes you think Ichigo will join up with you guys?" Tatsuki spat. "Why don't you ask the Vaizards?" Kana answered giving a little smile.

Shin looked up and saw the moon, "Well, I have to say our time is up, so for now, ta ta. And remember Ichigo, we expect an answer in four days." He, Shu, and Chu leaped in the air and disappeared in a black gateway. Kana looked back to them blowing Ichigo a kiss, "Remember now Ichi, by the time you wake up, expect us in four days," and soon, she followed the same suit. Bez straightened his shades before pulling out something that looked like a lighter, Wakka, from being attacked by them he prepped his ball for to attack.

Holding the lighter thing, he flicked the lid, obviously to Rukia that was no lighter; it was a memory replacement charm. It hit everyone in the village, even the shinigami. But the effects are slower to them than it normally would. Ichigo plopped down first, and Rukia struggled to stay conscious, Bez smirked and crouched toward her, "It's useless girl, we modified this charm that it's powerful enough to hit you guys too. It's all gonna be like a dream that you won't even remember this attack." She drifted to sleep like everyone else around her. "[Sigh Looks like I'll have to clean up. Ah well, at least I can look forward to the future, heh, I hope he refuses," he said with a snarling smile.

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_Morning_

Ichigo woke up in the Inn, clutching his head looking out seeing that its morning. Looking around he sees that everyone else was already awake. Grabbing his zampakto, he headed out and found Tatsuki, Orihime, and Rukia watching Tidus brandish the Brotherhood sword. The blade is almost like solid water shaped into a blade. "Hey, morning sleepy head, had a good sleep ya," Wakka called to Ichigo. "Ah, not really, since I woke up, I just had a killer headache," he replied. "You remember anything from before you met Sin?" Lulu asked. "Huh?" "Never mind" "So this is the sword that you gave to you brother, right?" Rukia asked examining the blade. "You had a brother Wakka?" Ichigo had only heard this for the first time, but he looked like he was hurt remembering his brother. "Ya, my brother Chappu had left with the Crusaders, but he was killed by Sin during a mission," saying that last bit with some sadness, but that quickly changed when he changed the subject, "So where's Yuna?"

Yuna emerged from the temple dragging a big luggage bag with her. She took a last look at the temple and the village, "You know, you don't need all that luggage," Lulu said walking towards her. "It's not mine, they're gifts for the temples we will be visiting," Yuna replied in a soft tone. "This isn't a vacation Yuna, you know that right?" Wakka said to the Summoner nodding in agreement and understand. "Hey, I know it's not a good idea to bring all this stuff, but you guys make it sound like she's not coming back," Ichigo looked around at everyone, and all but Tidus had concerning looks on their faces, looking at the ground, "Ichigo…" Rukia started but was interrupted by Yuna, "Okay, lets get going."

Walking up hill, they encountered a few fiends consisting of wolfs, birds, and these jelly like creatures. To everybody's eyes, each was amazed with the other, either being with their fighting skills, magical prowess, even in Yuna's healing skills.

The only resting stop was the idol at the top of the hill, Yuna, Wakka, and Lulu did their prayer as they have done in the temples. "It's an ancient custom where travelers pray for a safe trip," Rukia explained to Ichigo, Wakka overheard this and added his two cents into the conversation, "One time, my brother didn't pray for his trip, said he'd miss his boat." Just out of politeness in Orihime's heart and hearing this statement, she followed what Yuna was doing, as well as Rukia and Tatsuki in that order. The orange haired shinigami shrugged as he was the last to pray before they hit the next area.

As they walked, Tidus had walked a little bit behind everyone else as the Ronso Kimahri used his cat-like abilities to hop, pillar to pillar as he descended to the ground in front of Tidus making him to jump back. The Ronso armed his spear and assumed a battle stance towards Tidus. He was about to say something, but he was interrupted as a lunge towards Tidus made him arm himself with his sword. The fight was a good half hour as both had trades strikes with each other, even when the Ronso uses his Junp attack which had sent him back a few times.

The fight was then finally stopped by Wakka, "That's enough Kimahri." Kimahri had withdrawn his weapon as he walked to the shore's path. "Wow, wonder what his problem with Tidus was?" Orihime asked watching the lion or cat-man leave. She couldn't decide what kind of animal he was so she decided that he was a cat-man (I think he's a lion man). "Kimahri Ronso," Lulu introduced the creature to them, "…of the Ronso tribe, he's learned the 'fiend's' way of fighting," emphasis on fiends. "I don't think that's what Orihime meant," Tidus said.

"He's another one of Yuna's guardians," Wakka explained to him. Yuna just giggled looking at the confused faces of Ichigo, Orihime, and Tidus' faces, "Sometimes we don't understand him either, Kimahri doesn't talk much, but he's protected me as a child." Soon Ichigo got the idea, "Oh, I see, he was checking if Tidus was strong enough to guard Yuna, bit over protective don't cha think?" "Kimahri was the one who brought me to Besaid after the Calm started and brought me here, he would protect me by any means necessary," Yuna had explained. "Sounds like he's pretty devoted to you," Tatsuki grinned. "I wonder why he didn't attack me or Ichigo either," Orihime pondered. Rukia smiled at them, "Ever since I met him a few days ago, I could tell that he could sense the battle spirit of one person, his race is pretty noble though."

Walking across the waterfall bridges, Ichigo was still wondering what they meant from 'the fiends way of fighting'. "So when you guys say that Kimahri learned the fiends' way of fighting, what did you guys mean?" "Oh you'll see in due time Ichigo, but lets just keep on going." Eventually they encountered a huge bird-like creature unlike the Condors; this thing was pretty big, "So Wakka, is this flyer up in your department?" Ichigo asked, "Uh true, but why don't we let our summoner handle this problem, Yuna, show what learned from your training," truth be told that Wakka didn't want to fight this thing. Yuna came up and conjured the complex glyph summoning the aeon of the skies, Valefore next to her a few feet in the air. The battle was quickly over as it used its own special attack, Energy Ray, flying up a little higher and shot a laser from its beak, it didn't look like much, but that thought was quickly discarded as explosions shot up from where the laser hit. The Garuda was obliterated until it was nothing but pyreflies.

"Whoa," Ichigo couldn't believe what he just saw as the aeon was gone. "That's the power of an aeon?" "Yup, and there's more of them in the different temples we will be visiting." Tatsuki said as Ichigo looked at Yuna who was being wowed by Orihime. Looking above though, Ichigo identified another Garuda preparing to strike at the summoner, "Tatsuki!!!" She quickly turned to see what her friend was talking about, at once summoning her armor and yelled to warn Yuna, "YUNA!!!" The summoner saw the armor on Tatsuki's hands and legs, as well watching the creature to attack her. Orihime pulled Yuna away as the karate expert summoned her strength swinging her fist downward, letting out a wave of spirit energy pushing it more away from Yuna. Now its attention was to Tatsuki, now standing next to her was Ichigo and Orihime. "Another one of those," Wakka and the others were about to join them until Rukia got in their way, "Wait, and watch what my friends are capable of."

The battle commenced where the Garuda tried to hit Tatsuki first with its beak, but immediately failed once Tatsuki gave it a nice hard uppercut. Preparing for the sonic boon attack, it unleashed the harmful wave. But that was after Orihime set up her shield for Tatasuki where the winds were directed to the sides of the two girls. The attack subsided and three lights quickly set back to her hair pins. But in the clearing, only the fist fighter and the Shunshunrika owner had remained. 'Where's Ichigo?' Tidus thought which was quickly answered hearing a step from the mountain side which was where Ichigo happened to be now heading towards the fiend with Zangetsu in his hand unsheathed. 'When did he get there?' Wakka thought in his head, Lulu's thought was 'How is he able to get up that high with a heavy weapon like that?' and for Yuna was just one word, 'Amazing.' And with that, it was gone like its brother before it. Soon as it was over, they headed towards the beach where the docks were.

Practically everyone from the village was there, kids, priests, the elderly, and friends. Many looked sad as they saw her and her guardians go on the boat. As they got on they were greeted by a man in a white suit with a cape over him, "Hello Lady Summoner, I see that it must be sad to leave behind what you lived with." Yuna nodded, "Yes, but I know it's worth it." The man left and walked away, "If you need anything miss, just contact me in the captains quarters." It seemed that she didn't hear what he said as Yuna waved and yelled goodbye to the villagers she has known for most of her life. But this didn't go unheard by Ichigo.

He had recognized that voice anywhere, and one word shouted from the shinigami's mouth so that everyone heard him whilst he pointed at him.

"URYU!!!"

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TO BE CONTINUED

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Yahoo, Got this chapter down, sorry for the wait for some of you people, but I do update pretty slowly at most times.

Mostly due to school such n' such.

But with all of that aside, its time for me to sing the 'Lucky Dance'

Ikkaku: (entering the scene) Hey, that's my dance, Extend, Hozukimaru

O.O Uh, gotta run (speeding away, coming back) R&R, (dodging a slash) See ya later. (running away once more)

Ikkaku: Now time for me to do the Lucky Dance. (BOOOOOOM)

(me w/ bazooka) I'M NOT LETTING YOU ON MY SPOTLIGHT!!!!!! (BOOOM)


	5. Chapter 4: Unexpected Results n' Actions

Bleach and Final Fantasy X

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"URYU!!!"

Ichigo shouted hearing his voice since they got on this world, Uryu the last Quincy was here on the very boat…. serving as a greeter for a boat they are on.

Upon hearing Ichigo exclaim the Quincy's name, everyone from Karakura had hurried towards Ichigo to see what he was yelling about.

Their eyes open as wide as dinner plates as they see Uryu with Yuna and Ichigo. All were happy to see Uryu. But Yuna just blinked, "Ichigo, you know this man?" Ichigo smiled, "Yeah, he was also with us when we saw Sin." Yuna gasped and prayed like she had from Besaid.

Uryu never really said anything about how he got here except that he awoke in the cabin on this boat. So he talked to the captain and decided that he would work there until he could get back on his feet. Being the reasonable one, he kept his thing about what he is, where he is from, and what he last remembered in being in Karakura.

"So you ended up possibly in the middle of the ocean and got on a boat by dumb luck?" Ichigo asked after hearing Uryu's reason for being here. The Quincy just nodded. Yuna was curious of who he is because his had looked very familiar to her. Once everyone dissipated from the five person crowd, she decided to ask Uryu something

"Um, excuse me but may I ask what your name is?" Uryu faces her as he pushes up his glasses, "Why certainly, I'm Uryu Ishida." "And Ichigo, may I ask for your last name," Yuna asks, because Rukia had only given her, Lulu, Wakka, and Kimahri his first name. But not only that, but she had a strange feeling from him, like one she once had 10 years ago, during the end of Sin, before the last Calm. Ichigo answers her without thinking of whatever she was implying about them, "My last name is Kurosaki." Uryu being an observant one wondered why she would want to know Ichigo's last name, but figured that he never told her, yet knew that there was more to that, "Wait Lady Yuna, why would you want to know about our names?" Yuna just smiles hiding her true intentions, "Just wondering." 'But I just want to know something else, Tidus said he was from Zanarkand, I just want to see if it was _that_ Zanarkand.'

Off on the other side of the boat, Tidus balanced on the railing as he hopped on a tourist's shoulder pilfering the poor man's binoculars. Eventually he got them back as Yuna waved to him and he waved back.

But on the second floor of the boat above, was Uryu and Ichigo were discussing about Yuna's actions, mostly of her twenty questions routine there. "So you think that Yuna is talking to us about where we are from?" "Yes, but from her eyes, I could have sworn she was looking at this," holding up Ginrei Kojaku. "Uryu, she probably thought that it was a strange charm, I mean look at that thing, and do you know anyone who carries that thing around?" "Ichigo, she was looking at it with familiarity. That has to tell you something." But there, that was where it sort of hit him, "Wait a minute, when we were in that pillar of light in Sin, I saw that Auron guy looking at something, he was facing us, but not directly at us. More like behind us."

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_(Flashback)_

_-----------------------------_

_Auron looks past Ichigo and the group looking as if he was saying, 'Are you sure?'_

_-----------------------------_

(End Flashback)

-----------------------------

"I think what he was looking at was at was actually who, and that who would be Mr. Hat n' Clogs," Ichigo had realized. "You mean to say that he was looking at Urahara. But I thought that he said he didn't know anything about Sin," Uryu replied. "But I also did say that he hides more than what he knows too." Uryu was thinking something after what Ichigo said, "Wait, if that's true, then we need to ask Yuna something, because I think that you were right that Mr. Urahara was hiding something." Ichigo sneered, "Well that's a first you actually think that I'm right." Uryu glared, "Well, don't get used to it too much, it only a rare occasion."

The two spotted Yuna near a dissipating crowd around her, they walked down the stairs as Orihime confronted them, "Hey guys." "Hey Orihime," Uryu responded. "Hey guess what, I just heard that Yuna is related to High Summoner Braska." Uryu quirked an eyebrow, but Ichigo couldn't believe what he was hearing, "Braska, as is that one guy who brought that last Calm." "Yeah, she's famous." Uryu smiled, "Wow, Ichigo, you're with a celebrity and you didn't know it!" "Well, at least it's not Don Kanonji," Ichigo replied. Ichigo and Uryu had continued to trek towards Yuna where Tidus had walked towards the summoner.

Tidus was leaning on the rope in the front of the boat next to Yuna. "The wind… is nice," she started off. They kept talking, that Tidus was from Zanarkand, giggling, if anyone believed him, it just went on. Until she hit one name, the one name that truly hit Tidus, "A man named Jehct told me, he was my father's guardian." Tidus just grumbled at the name. When Ichigo and Uryu was close enough they hear their conversation, they heard another surprise, "My father, his name is Jehct." Yuna gasps, "Amazing! It has to be a blessing of Yevon" "It truly does don't you think." Ichigo blurted revealing him and Uryu making them turn around.

"Yeah, it might sound like him but it just can't be. He died off the coast of Zanarkand ten years ago." Tidus explained. Yuna's eyes widen to see the time that Tidus explained, "But that was the time that Jehct came to Spira. Him and three other people, all guardians of my father," Uryu thought as much, but he needed to be certain, "Lady Yuna, was one of those people named Kisuke Urahara?" Her answer was one they had expected and what they didn't expect, "Yes, and Ryuken Ishida, and Isshin Kurosaki." This truly opened their eyes, "I can't believe it, our fathers, was in Spira." "You are a Quincy are you not Uryu?" Yuna asks. Uryu still couldn't believe that his father was in Spira before, but also that she knew what a Quincy was. "Yes, I have seen a Quincy before, that charm was what he held before ten years ago as you do now. As well as the Shinigami powers that you possess Ichigo, I sense the same power similar to what your father. Not many know this, but many don't really know that he had five guardians, not two." This is a lot to take in for Ichigo, his father, being a Shinigami. Plus Isshin, Ryuken, Urahara visiting Spira. But Ichigo thought that it did explain what old man Zangetsu had said to him. The part saying, '_Awakening his own Shinigami powers dwelled inside him_'. Tidus still had his doubts, "Yeah, but how can that be, I mean, how did they get here?" The two below them had a pretty good idea, but at the same time, they still agreed with Tidus, "As much as you can make sense about this, Tidus has a point, I mean, I don't remember my father being gone for about half a year or so." Yuna's response, "You're here, are you not?"

The boat rocked violently suddenly making everyone stumble. Yuna lost her footing until Tidus caught her, but they lost their grip of each other, but Kimahri was able to catch her before she fell overboard. Then a huge fin emerged from the sea, the spiritual pressure got to Ichigo, Uryu, and everyone else who was spiritually aware from Karakura could feel the spiritual pressure from the fin, but not as bad as the whole thing. It was Sin. "We'll talk about this later Yuna," Uryu yelled.

Two men ran towards the harpoon guns, and aimed them towards Sin, Wakka tried to stop them, "Hey what do guys think you're doing?" "Yeah, you stick a harpoon in there, we're gonna get dragged down too," Tatsuki added. "Sin is gonna be reaching for Kilika, we need to distract it somehow," the gunner said. "We have families in Kilika, forgive us Lady Summoner." Yuna saw what they were feeling so she agreed. They shot and stuck into Sin. The fin kept going dragging the boat along with it.

Then something was seen flying off of the fin, they were Sinscales, they took this action to arm themselves with their weapons of choice. Everyone was hacking and slashing, beating down, burning, drowning, freezing, and shocking the Sinscales to death. But all else proved useless. "They just keep in coming," Orihime stated. More Sinscales shot out of the fin, everyone was still ready, but they weren't sure if they were gonna last too long. Then all of a sudden, a bunch of lights came and shot down the Sinscales before they hit the boat.

Wakka, Lulu, Yuna, Kimahri, and Tidus, couldn't believe what they saw, Uryu just shot them down in a flash. But the interesting piece of equipment was the thing that impressed them the most. His spider-web looking bow, Ginrei Kojaku, was shot from again putting down the next dozen that came.

"It's never going to end!!!" Uryu exclaimed, "We need to destroy the harpoon in the creature, or at least sever the cable attached to the harpoon." Anyone who was not from Karakura was amazed of his sharpshooting, "Just what are you?" Wakka asked. "Just try and dislodge that cable!!!" Uryu shouted at them.

Kimahri and Tidus ran towards the cable while everyone else had helped kill off the Sinscales Uryu may have missed. But all efforts to cut it was no use as it was a steel cable. "Hey Uryu, we can't cut these cables," Tidus said still trying to cut the cable. Orihime looked at them and and thought of something, "Hey guys, if regular weapons doesn't work, then how about spiritual power." She used Tsubaki to cut off to harpoon gun which detatched, the boat from Sin's fin.

Sin was gone but there was someone missing from their group. It was Tidus, Wakka figured he got washed overboard when the boat bounced. "C'mon Wakka, we gotta get Tidus," Tatsuki dived in the sea to find the blonde blitzer. "Right behind you girl," Wakka soon followed suit with a splash. "How long do you think they can last down there?" Uryu asked looking down at the sea. "I don't know," Yuna softly replied, "…but I know they can get back safely."

Tidus was unconscious in the middle of the sea where Sinscales attacked from all directions. Soon, a ball took out the fiends as Wakka and Tatsuki quickly swam in range. Tatsuki threw a Hi-potion to the man by which awoke him. Tidus got his balance and gave thumbs up to the rescue party.

Dolphins swam away past them to only see a jellyfish like creature assisted by more Sinscales. It first caught them in a whirl pool with its spinning tentacles. A few hits from the Sinscales tried to attack while they were down, but Tatsuki was able to recover fast a got them with a few punches and kicks. From which each had exploded into a bunch of pyreflies. Wakka and Tidus were soon recovered from the attack and charged to attack, through hacking and slashing, and near lethal hits with a blitzball. Tatsuki was even able to get a few waves of spirit empowered punches.

The jellyfish fiend was bouncing but just a little bit unstable. In their heads, they knew that one more combined hit would kill it. Tatsuki thought something was wrong though; the waters suddenly changed, but only suddenly, like the density of the water itself got heavier. She widened her eyes as she looked behind her to see a fish-like Hollow. Noticing this she quickly charged at the two males pushing them out of the way of the charge of the Hollow.

The Hollow didn't steer off course to attack Tatsuki, and the blitzers. Instead it immediately chomped on the fiend. In effect of watching the grotesque display by the Hollow, it slowly took form of the fiend that they just fought. The fins became hand-like appendages with tentacle-like fingers. Its fin was like a mermaid's or mermen, and it's head was like it's meal, flat looking. On the eyes was a stretched mask with glowing yellow eyes.

'Whoa, did that Hollow just absorb that fiend's form, how is that possible,' Tatsuki was still running that thought through her head as it spoke, in a echo like voice, "Ahhhh, that was delicious, master was right when they said that fiend was full of souls." It looked at Wakka, Tidus, and Tatsuki with interest and hunger, and those three didn't like where this was going. "With this new body, I should see what this thing should do, especially with my new appitiete, he he he," it smiled or opened its mouth since the mask couldn't show any facial expressions.

It started off, throwing its arms with its tentacles whipping around while they nearly dodged the tentacles. But their luck ran out as the tentacles wrapped them each, practically crushing their lungs. "Well, this is a disappointment; I thought you guys would put up more of a fight. Ah well, I guess it's time for you to die," gloating and laughing at their face preparing to eat them. They all tried and struggled to get out with the little air they have left.

Tatsuki then grew limp for just a second, then woke up with eyes glowing white. A surge of energy surrounded her as the tentacle around her disintegrated to nothing. "Argh, you damn bitch, I'm going to kill you first." She touched her palms together; eyes still glowing white, and thrust them forward disintegrating the remaining tentacles with a white blast, as a result yelling in pain and freeing its captors. Eyes frowned in anger and the Hollow hybrid charged at the martial artist in an attempt to swallow her whole.

But the charge failed as Tidus swam under the Hollow and used his underwater version of his Spiral Cut attack which interrupted it and sent it slightly up above its original depth. Wakka, spun that ball of his where it was seen sparking with electricity, he kicked it and shot that Hollow up more almost above sea level.

On the boat Ichigo, Yuna and the others were patiently waiting for Wakka and Tutsuki with Tidus. "Do you think…" Yuna was about to ask but was quickly interrupted by Ichigo, "Don't even think about that, they may have been down there for a long time but I assure you that as long as Tatsuki is there, they'll be okay." "Are you always so sure about that?" Lulu asked. "If it comes to anybody close to Ichigo, they are more than likely to make it," Uryu answered making Lulu pondering a bit. Orihime was along the edges of the railing to try and see any traces of the rescue crew. Suddenly she saw a shadow of a figure, "Hey everyone I see something," she called out to get them running towards the left side of the S.S Liki.

Back in the waters, the jellyfish Hollow still supported by the waters buoyancy hunched back right up only to open its eyes up to see a still glowing Tatsuki charging up Kamehameha style, facing its last moments of life, it watched Tatsuki release the charge in a huge blast pushing it all the way above sea level to the surface, where everybody on the S.S Liki saw the Hollow get pushed up with a blast through the body like a drill quickly exploding in a large cloud of pyreflies,

"What…was…that?" Lulu slowly asked, "It was a Hollow." Rukia answered behind her as Wakka and Tidus pulled themselves and Tatsuki up on deck. Looking at the martial artist, she was unconscious. "Somebody… can tell me…what… in Yevon…that thing was, ya," Wakka heaved out. "I think we all need an explanation of what that fiend was," Yuna calmly suggested. Tidus catching his second wind turned towards Ichigo and Orihime, "That was a Hollow wasn't it?" A nod was all they got. "But hey, we all go through this alive." Orihime said. "Why don't rest up and enjoy the…rest…of…the…" The sentence of hers was at a full stop as they saw the Isle of Kilika, but not what expected.

"We may have been spared by Sin," Rukia started, "…but not Kilika." Ichigo and the others looked bad; knowing all they did was delay the inevitable to the island.

Kilika (few hours ago)

Kids play on the bridges of wood playing with a blitzball. Everybody enjoying their lives as parents watches the kids and loiters around houses, shops, etc.

A tidal wave started to rise and rise to the villagers' visibility. Waves and waves of water surged toppling huts to destruction.

Many, who saw these from their houses were immediately wiped out, palm trees turned into splinters.

Bridges that they were walking on leisurely broke up taking the people with them.

Soon a bunch of wreckage in the destruction started to halo around a forming bubble of water.

More bridges and buildings were destroyed as it took even more lives.

Everything was spiraling up towards the sky, Sin was in the distance as a blitzball floated along the broken docks.

S.S. Liki (now)

"How can anything do that much destruction?" asked the waking Tatsuki, still exhausted from her last fight. "I will defeat Sin," Yuna told herself, "…I must defeat Sin." Everyone looked at the destruction, as they inch closer and closer to the destroyed port of Kilika.

Upon reaching the port, Uryu halted in front of Yuna, "Lady Yuna, I, Uryu Ishida, ask to be your guardian, to protect you by the code of the guardian and the code of the Quincy." Yuna nodded as Wakka and Lulu saw and heard Ishida's proposal. "Sir Uryu, I accept you to be my guardian." The Quincy kneels in front of her to show his loyalty, "Lady Yuna, I shall protect you with my weapon and my life." She softly smiled, "Please Uryu, I give you permission to just call me Yuna."

Kilika Port

They exit the boat to be in front of the villagers who looked to be some of the elders there. "Greetings, I am the summoner Yuna from the temple of Besaid," she greeted herself with a prayer. Two elders there approached them as on of them had sighed, "Oh, milady summoner." "If there are no other summoners here, please allow me to perform the sending." "Praise be to ye." One of the villagers had sounded relieved. "Our loved one, we thought that they would turn into fiends."

As Ichigo heard this he quickly leaned towards the veteran Shinigami, "Hey, ya know, this stuff kind of sounds like the things that happens to the souls back home." "Rukia nods, "Yes you're right, but the sending is something that I haven't seen yet."

As Yuna, Kimahri, Lulu, and Uryu followed the couple to their dead, Wakka, Tatsuki, and the Aurouchs ran off to help out around the village, while the rest of them, including Tidus discussed what they needed to do, "So what should we do around here guys?" Orihime asked. "I think we should follow Yuna," Tidus suggested. Ichigo just sneered at him, "Oh I know why you want to follow Yuna. You got a thing for Yuna right." Tidus just stepped back a bit blushing, "Wha-what are you talking about?" "You know the blushing isn't helping," Rukia points out.

In any matter, they headed towards to where Yuna's party left which led to an area filled with torches, few steps down, were graves. _"Is this a konso?"_ Rukia asked herself in her mind.

"Oi, Lulu, what's going on?" Ichigo asked. "(sigh) You people really are clueless. Are you sure it's not just your memory? _"You have no idea lady."_ "It's called a sending," She told the Shinigami and blitzer. "Sending, so are we going somewhere?" Tidus asked. The mage sighed, "The dead need guidance from here to the Farplane where all souls go to; their grief of their death keeps them here where they yearn to live on among us, resenting us. As a result they become fiends, to prey on the living." Ichigo pondered on theses fact of the world incidentally saying the next few words out loud, "So this is like a konso." Lulu heard this of course, "What's a konso?" Having heard of this question he answers it without second thought, "A konso or soul burial is what we Shinigami do to the souls back home to send them to Heaven."

Wakka was behind him kind of chuckling hearing the 'toxin' induced info, "Wow you can always wonder about the imaginations of those toxins, ya." "Ichigo frowned at this but before Ichigo could say anything, Lulu shut them up with a glare signaling the sending is about to start.

In everybody's eyes it was beautiful. Yuna walks down on top of the water where the coffins under her lay. In certain eyes it may seem like some interpretive dance, which was until they saw the pyreflies surfacing from the coffins and the flames around them turned blue. It was an amazing sight to behold, soon a spout of water started to rise up below the summoners feet, continuing the dance which seemed to last for hours.

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TO BE CONTINUED

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Whoo, now Uryu is a guardian to Yuna, but lets see who will be next.

If any of you guys can guess who is gonna be ing the next chapter, just add it to your review.

And plz, as always, I may have said this already, but plz review. Thx : )


	6. Chapter 5: Friends and Giants

Bleach and Final Fantasy X

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Black, a void of nothingness where one is may be found in a plane of darkness.

"Wake up," a mysterious voice calls, "…wake up Ichigo." Grunting in frustration it yells, "HEY STRAWBERRY!!"

Eyes shoot open, "Huh… who the… what the… where?" Ichigo jumps up to a sitting position, where Zangetsu was missing this time. Franticly looking for his weapon, unknowing of where he is, a man coughs for attention.

It definitely worked, as Ichigo faced a tan skinned man. He was topless but his muscled chest had a tattoo on it shaped like a jagged 'J', on his left arm was a gauntlet covered in metal, and his shorts he wore had a black to orange chap on his left leg. And in his hand was his zampakto which was stabbed to the ground. "Heh, so you like big swords like him eh," he said, but that didn't matter to the Shinigami, he just wanted his sword back, "Hey, give me back my zampakto, its mine!!" shouting as he got up.

He lifted it up with ease, holding it like a spear and chucked it at his feet with ease. "Ichigo, before you ask, I'm just gonna tell you that you're in a dream and that your weapon is useless," he explained. "Just who are you, and how do you know my name?" Ichigo asked.

Before he could answer, the man was gone, vanished in a cloud of pyreflies. Shin appeared in his place, looking up at the cloud, "Not now Sin, now is not the time to explain everything, we have someone else to do that later." "Yeah, hee hee," Bez entering into this conversation with his sadistic smile, "…be a good messiah of death and sleep."

"You bastards, what have you done with him, why am I here again, and what do you mean by 'messiah of death'?" Ichigo wanted answers, and he wanted them now. "Again with the twenty questions," Kana's voice said appearing with arms around Shin in a supposed loving manner, "…Bez, I think you should reconsider on that brains part." "Where is everyone?" Bez asked squatting for no apparent reason, just as Chu appeared, as well as Shu whom of which was on his shoulder, "We're here," the big one answered.

"Well, everyone all present and accounted for, good," A certain black sword was swung at Shin as it was blocked with his zampakuto half way unsheathed. "Well, well, still sword happy, I thought the man told you that your weapon is useless here. Hell, I even thought our first meeting told you something."

In a blink of an eye, Zangetsu dissipated into nothing and an unknown force pinned him to an invisible wall. Ichigo struggled, but found it was no use, "So now are you willing to listen to our warning," Shin smiled and Ichigo knew he wasn't asking. "Just to say congrats with the Hollow for your fist-fighting friend," Shin complimented "Do you mean Tatsuki?" Bez laughed as Shu, Chu, and Kana sighed, "No we mean your grand-mother, OF COURSE THAT BLACK HAIRED CHICK, BAKA!!" Bez practically shrieked at him and smiled in a lecherous grin, "And I must say, she is pret-ty fine looking." SMACK Was the sound of Kana slapping him in the face, "What, I can't show my opinion of women?" "Not unless you want to be tortured the rest of your life," she glared at the maniac. But that didn't seem to faze him, retorting with a chuckle, "Go ahead, I'll just enjoy in being a masochist."

The constant bickering had the remaining four staring. "You know, with all this fighting they do, they might actually make a pretty good couple," Shu commented out loud soon snicker uncontrollably.

"ENOUGH," Shin's command shook the whole room that made Ichigo widen his as the rouge Shinigami's spiritual pressure shook the whole place making everyone stand still and stop what they were doing, "Now it looks like we ran out of time, thanks to the bickering couple," Shin shrugs it off, "Ah well, since I wasn't able to tell you what I wanted, I'll just remind you of our offer we made two days ago, we'll wait for an answer in three days, on the day of the tournament." Their images started to blur, fade, and then darkness.

--

Kilika Port Inn

--

"…llo, Ichigo," In the same position as he was in Besaid, except not much in surprise as he was when Orihime was waking him up. The strawberry kid was still groggy and yawning, but as he got up, he saw Tidus standing next to him, "Hey Ichigo, c'mon get up," the blitzer called to him, "Wakka is waiting near the jungle entrance, he sent me to get you." "Yeah, yeah I'm getting up," Ichigo replied getting up, still clutching his head, "Hey man, you okay, you don't look so hot." But as stubborn and strong willed as he was, the Shinigami substitute just shook it off, "Nah I'm just fine, nothing that a little walk can't fix."

Tidus just looked at him, "Does it have to do with your dream?" Ichigo stared at him for a minute before the blitzer said something else, "When I got up, I saw you rolling around in your sleep; it looked like you were bothered by something."

Ichigo's eyes darkened with a piercing stare of trust, "Mind if you don't tell anyone Tidus?" Tidus smiled with a nod, "You can count on me Ichigo, and my lips are sealed." "Well, ever since we ended up in Besaid, before we met Yuna, I had these dreams, these five rouge Shinigamis keep showing up in my dreams, asking me to join them." Tidus's eye quirked, "Shinigami, some people you knew?" "No, no one I knew, but they apparently knew me, my friends, adventures, and even about my … abilities," being a little careful about that Vaizard part about him, and continued to the parts about when they appeared. But when he mentioned the night at Besaid, there struck some familiarity to his mind.

"Wait, I had that same dream I think," Tidus just realized, "it was a sudden attack on the village, right." Amazed at this knowledge, Ichigo knew it was more than just a coincidence, "It was a Hollow, it almost ate Yuna, and you, Wakka, Khimari, and Lulu were pinned to the ground by a binding spell." "That's just too much of a coincidence," the blonde warrior shook his head, "I mean you just explained the experience just perfectly."

They both pondered about this, but Tidus just realized that the others were waiting for them, "Well what are we standing around for, let's go."

Few minutes later after much running they finally hit the gates of the forest.

--

Kilika Woods

--

Upon entering the woods, everyone were in the intersection, Uryu, Orihime and Yuna conversing about something, Tatsuki, Wakka, Rukia, and Lulu were in their own conversation as Kimahri, he just stood on a nearby rock. "Well look who finally decided to wake up ya," came the warm welcome from Wakka, "Yeah, good morning to you too guys," Ichigo replied. "Well, what are we waiting for, lets go," Tidus urged, "Whoa, whoa, hold your chocobos, ya." "Why?" "Because we need to wait for our guide to the temple," answered Lulu. "Oh, and Tidus, Yuna is asking about coming with us." "Wha…?" Wakka almost falls over the rock he was leaning on as Yuna walks up to the younger blitzer, "I want to ask you to be my guardian."

Wakka was in a bit of disbelief, kinda making a face, "Yuna, what, it's not time for jokes, ya. He may be a blitzball whiz kid, but up against fiends, he's a newbie." Yuna looked back at Wakka, facing those facts, "Fine, not a guardian, but I want him close by." Wakka made a face about this but Tidus was just as confused as he was, "What, what do you mean?" "Jeez Tidus, you're pretty dense are you?" Tatsuki could see why. Lulu then got between the two teens, "We're all going to the same temple, and couldn't this wait until later? Besides, I see that our guide is here."

Looking at where they came from, they can see a bulking figure, bigger than them, but almost the same size as Kimahri. And almost immediately, recognized him, if the shaggy hair and the tan skin didn't tell them, I dunno what would. "Hello," Possibly the almost monotone way he spoke did, "is this the party of Yuna and her guardians." Orihime was the first to answer, but not the yes or no answer, "Chad, you're here," the busty red-head ran up to him in a hug. The Mexican looks down at her, "Orihime, you're here with Yuna?" "Hey Chad, over here," he lifted his head and saw Uryu, Rukia, Tatsuki, as well as Ichigo standing amongst the summoner and her friends.

"So, you also know our tour guide here?" Wakka asked, which was soon answered by Rukia with a nod, "Yes, this man, Chad, was also with us when we were taken by Sin in Karakura town," "Hm, so he was near Sin too huh, man, you guys must have been around Sin for a long period of time, but, its good to see a friend of our new buddies, ya." Uryu looked at the older blitzer a bit blankly, "Are you still implying about that whole Sin's toxin thing?" Unfortunately for the archer, that question got him a swift elbow in the ribs as she huddled next to him, "Uryu, play along, we don't want to look like nutjobs around here." She got up and was getting stares from the others, "Eheheh, uh you know it's that toxin acting up."

Chad got them to follow, as he took them straight towards the bridge, until they were stopped, "Company halt," said the young Crusader Gatta, whom of which was accompanied by Luzzu, "The fiend before us is Ochu, Lord of the Wood, we've had trouble with this one before, but I would steer clear of this one if I were you. Remember, digression is the better part of valor." "Thank you Sir Luzzu," thanked the summoner. "So what now?" asked the Quincy. "I suggest we take an alternate route," Lulu suggested.

Then out of nowhere, "YAHOO!!" an overconfident sounding voice that Ichigo knows too well said, "Looks like it's my lucky day for a creature this size to be here." Down jumped from the high tree and landed on the stone bridge. It was a bald headed man with a sheathed sword over his shoulder; it was none other than, "Ikkaku," called out Ichigo this time.

The bald shinigami turned around and gave them a smirk to Ichigo, "Hey Ichigo, how have you been?" Lulu turned to the newcomers, "Is he another friend of yours?" "Unfortunately, yes," Rukia answered. "Wow, two of your friends in one day, that's pretty impressive if I do say so myself," Wakka said, turning back to see that Madarame was doing his 'Lucky Dance'. Yuna looked at him strangely when he was dancing on his toes, "If you don't mind me asking, but, what is he doing?" Ichigo slapped his forehead to seeing what Ikkaku was doing, "He's doing his Lucky Dance, and he normally does it when he fights someone strong."

Ikkaku was at the last verse of his dance when flips over his sword and lands on his feet holding his sword on both ends with a big finish, "LUCK- KY!!" The Shinigami takes his sword out of his scabbard, and walks towards the creature all pumped up, "Hey wait," Gatta tried his best to convince Ikkaku not to fight but he was stopped by Ichigo, "Just let him be," "B-b-but" "Even if you spoke to him, he's just gonna fight anyways."

He took his stance in front of the Ochu, just calling it out, "Hey you over grown weed just come and get me." The fiend seemed to be asleep but awoke by Ikkaku's shout out to it. The Lord of the Wood charged at the man as blocked an attacking tentacle with a thorn sticking out of the scabbard he blocked with, "I'm Ikkaku Maddarame, 3rd seat of Squad 11," he smirked as he hacked off the tentacle, discarding it off his scabbard, pointing the sword at the fiend, "and I will be the one to kill you."

Everyone watched in amazement besides Ichigo and his group, as Ikkaku leaped, blocked, and parried. But soon enough, the plant fiend got a lucky hit with its tentacles ending up as a gash on his shoulder. "Hah, you think that, you got me, think again," he taunted ignoring the pain as he smiled. But Luzzu and Gatta feared for the worst, "Oh no," Ichigo turned to them, "If your worried about Ikkaku, then don't, he normally enjoys a strong fight, besides, it's only a scratch compared to what he's been through." Still, Gatta shook his head furiously, "No, that one scratch could be all it takes to kill him, that one scratch had infected him with poison, a pretty lethal poison at that." "Why else have we had trouble with this creature," Luzzu pointed out.

It didn't take long from all that running around for the poison to spread and got him to flinch. Landing on to the ground Ikkaku's legs gave away making the Shinigami to prop himself up with his zampakuto. "Heh, poison eh you bastard," Ikkaku deduced while he gets up to connect the scabbard and the hilt of the sword, "Looks like I'll have to finish fast if I want to survive," he thought to himself. "Grow, _Hozukimaru_!!" Shouting the name of his zampakuto, Hozukimaru transformed in a blinding light, turning into a spear with a red tassel on the end. Wakka, Tidus, Yuna, Lulu, and even Kimahri were surprised to see this spectacle. "Wow, I never knew that a Shinigami's weapon can be so different in shape," Yuna thought.

Ikkaku was planning to end this quickly, seeing it quickly asleep, so the spearman planed to kill the fiend quickly. "NO!! If you attack it while it sleeps, it will crush you with its body," warned the veteran Crusader, but Ikkaku paid no attention as he dashed at the Ochu. Wakka couldn't believe it, heck no one did who had never seen Ikkaku fight, "It's like he has no fear," Lulu pointed out. "Actually, Ikkaku's enjoying this," everyone looked at Ichigo in confusion, "What do you mean man, how can he be enjoying this fight?" Tidus asked. "Well, from the time I fought him, the guy treats death like a game, you win, you live, you lose, and you're dead," Ichigo explained to them, remembering his fight he had with him back in the Seireitei. And if they looked closely, the 11th squad member was smiling, a wide smiling grin.

Back with Ikkaku, he dashed prepping for a thrust, at the point of his weapon, the wind just passed around him until he hit his target in a thrust. It cried out in pain, the Crusaders ducking for cover, expecting the worst. Gatta, who had shut his eyes, opened his peepers and came out of his hiding spot around the trees. Luzzu, who was about the same place as Gatta looked at Ikkaku and his opponent, and widened his eyes in shock and amazement (mostly amazement). "I-i-incredible," Luzzu seemed to choke out, "I have never seen anyone do this before." And that's because no one had ever blown a hole in an Ochu ever. And before anyone moved, Ikkaku's wound just spurted out with blood from his shoulder where the Ochu nicked him as said fiend burst in pyreflies.

Yuna ran up to him as well as Orihime who rushed by the heaving Shinigami due to the poison, still smiling though. "I can take out the poison, but I can only partially heal the wound, I don't know any stronger healing spells," worried the summoner. "It's okay, I'll handle healing him, I can make him look brand new," smiled Orihime. Yuna stood back and watched the Shun Shun Rikka user hold out her arms in front of Ikkaku's body and recited her kotodama, "_Soten Kisshun, _I reject." And from her hair clips were Ayame and Shun'o formed a dome around the Shinigami. Everyone, especially Yuna, watched as Ikkaku's wounds immediately become healed, strands of tissue coming back, including the pieces of his shihakusho. "Wow, that has to be some useful healing spell, ya." Lulu shook her head at Wakka's response, realizing the technique wasn't healing spell at all, "Wakka, that's not a healing spell, but time turning, is that right Orihime?" For some reason, she sadly nodded, "Yes, back before we ended up here with you, I realized that it wasn't healing, but as one enemy of ours noted that it was 'changing God's outcome'," but saying this had her bursting in tears after the technique was dispelled. And everyone else looked at the Karakura group, all with faces darkening, "Is there something more to this enemy you guys are talking about?"

"The enemy that we're talking about, took Orihime from us for her power," Ichigo answered. "But it was also the time we had or toughest battle yet," Uryu added. "One of our allies turned to be our biggest threat all that time," Rukia finished remembering Aizen ripping out the Hougokyu from her powerless soul. Chad didn't say anything as well as Tatsuki, for reasons all of their own. Yuna felt bad to see them remembering horrible memories like this, "Please, no more of this sad experience, I'm sorry to bring this up."

As she said that, they can find that Ikkaku was stirring, waking up and stretching. "Wow man, I feel good as new," Ikkaku sighed. The shinigami had decided to follow the growing group, because a) he wanted to fight Ichigo sometime again, b) who knows what other things that they would encounter following them, and c) they would possibly encounter Sin again.

--

Kilika Temple

--

Heading up the steps, which was a lot, Wakka gave his little lecture about said step and of how High Summoner Ohalland trained here. Tidus and Tatsuki looked at the other Aurochs, whom of which were chuckling while they streatched, as if insisting on a challenge. Tidus took the hint, "A race huh?" He looked back at Tatsuki, "Sure, I'm game." She, Tidus and the Aurochs took positions at the bottom step, "Yuna if you would?" Wakka asked. Yuna nodded and took her place next to Wakka's end and raised her hand, "Ready…" she started with a smile, the summoner didn't finish as she got the head start. Rukia smirked at the playful group; Orihime gave her happy chuckle, and even Lulu chuckled a bit to, "Kids." Ikkaku sighed while Chad didn't say anything. Ichigo and Uryu though, they had other things on their mind, such as the earlier conversation with Yuna on the boat. But they were broken out of their trance to hear some screams of terror as the Aurochs run down the steps. Wakka ran back as well to get them, "Everyone quick, Sinspawn."

The Summoner, and the guardians as well as Chad, they headed towards this domed fiend which seemed to be integrated in with the soil. Uryu and Lulu were about to shoot some spells and arrows, unknowingly the creature sprouted two tentacle like hands and absorbed the reietsu and magic into the tentacles when they released. "Damn," cursed Uryu. "They seem to absorb magic and your arrows aimed at its body," the black mage analyzed. Upon hearing this Ichigo go an idea, "So let's chop up those tentacles shall we." Unsheathing Zangetsu from its cloth wrap, he proceeded to try and hack off the sprouted appendage, but as well seemed to be no use, "What the hell?" Tidus tried as well but to no avail. Then Wakka, Kimahri, Ikkaku, as well as Orihime using Tsubaki, but it's like those appendages were like spiritual rubber. Tatsuki was with Chad punching the hard shell of the fiend without making a dent with their spiritually enhanced limbs. Rukia, analyzing the situation released her zampakuto, "Dance, Sode no Shirayuki."

The release made her blade as white as the purest snow as well attaching ribbon on the end which was the same color. She prepared for her first strike, "First dance, Tsukishiro." And in a flash, a circle formed around the two tentacles, partially freezing them by the root to halfway. "Second dance, Hakuren," a wave of freezing reietsu froze the tentacles and the front of the shell which Tatsuki and Chad dodged. Rukia then gave the okay to attack. Kimahri used his Jump attack and instantly destroyed one of the tentacles and Ikkaku made a few swipes at the other with the same result.

Chad saw it still in its domed state, sought to take it a whole new different level. Instead of materializing his right arm, his left arm materialized in its white and red stripe armor, and charged for his hit. Lulu wondered what he was doing, as well as the other Spirians, even Ikkaku, since all other attempts failed. Everyone has yet to realize that Chad was using his left arm, '_Brazo Izquierda del Diablo_'. As the Mexican zeroed in onto the spawn, Chad jumps to land on the creature, punching it down with his left fist glowing with power, he let out two words of his attack just as it finally connects, "_La Muerte_".

And 'BOOM' when he smacks it down, the ground below Chad and the Sinspawn cracked into a skull shape due to the force of the punch. The attack even cracked the shell, and to force Chad off, it reared its ugly head out of its dome, to find it to have a pair of tentacle hands. Tidus and Ichigo looked at each other and ran towards the formerly domed fiend for a finishing combo.

Ichigo flipped his zampakuto horizontally as Tidus hopped on the flat side. The shinigami let out a Gatsuga Tensho at the Sinspawn, flinging the blonde blitzer in the process. Midway Tidus hopped of the wave of reietsu and started spiraling and slammed down with a small pillar of energy right when Ichigo's attack hit at the same time. It instantly destroyed the creature to a cloud of pyreflies, leaving nothing but a crater.

"We call that one…" Tidus started, "_Kajou Kurosu Gatsuga Tensho._" Ichigo finished.

--

Translation:

Kajou Kurosu Gatsuga Tensho: Spiral Cross Fang Peircing Heavens (I think)

--

Booyah, now that chapter is finally finished.

Sorry for the long update, but I had a few funky problems with my computer.

And editing some stuff after watching the current episodes of Bleach.

That and I even went to Reno for the past few days. But its finally done so enjoy. And tell me how it was.

Combo move thoughts inspired by Wild Arms.

Anyone who can suggest a combo move tell me. R&R.


	7. Chapter 6: Broken Hearts and Revelations

Hey guys, I'm back, as some of you may know, I was making my 'Shadow Hearts: Legacy' for Naruto. And sorry for the seven month delay, but my original computer screwed me over, so I had to remake this since I had like the first half done for it. Then I screwed myself over getting punished by my parents, and then I had the idea at the time for the previous title I just told you about.

But anyways, you know the disclaimer, and there might be a few hidden characters for you to guess, some obvious and some not to obvious, or what not. Don't expect any action, but a few trips down memory lane.

Now,

HAJIME

--

Heaving slowly was a worn out blitzer along with a certain orange haired shinigami. The whole summoner party near of what used to be a Sinspawn.

Wakka just laughs at the two exhausted swordsmen, "Sorry, I was hoping we'd break you in a little slower." Tidus stretched working out the kinks in his body, "Man, being a guardian is tiring." "You'll get used to it," Uryu said, "your body probably isn't used to such strain." Then the Quincy turned to Ichigo, but with a little smirk, "But you Ichigo, I didn't think you would tire out as well."

"Urusai, it was that attack we used as the finishing blow on that thing," Ichigo argued.

"Yeah, and I have to say, you two handled yourselves pretty well, and where did you two come up with that strategy?" Wakka asked.

Tidus and Ichigo just shrugged their shoulders, "Actually, it was just a feeling that it might just work."

"Well, just say you two got talent," the blitz captain said impressed.

Walking towards the stairs Tatsuki pondered about the creature they had faced, "Um, just to ask, what are these sinspawn anyways?"

Lulu answered as they ascended, "Fiends, they fall from Sin's body, and are left behind in its wake." Wakka's face was serious one, "Leave 'em alone and sin comes back for them, ya gotta be quick with those."

Wakka lifted his head looking at the clouds and decided to talk to Tidus who was following, "So, there any fiends in Zanarkand?" "Only a few, but it's a pretty big deal when one shows up." Tidus casually said. "What about that Karakura place Tatsuki said about that one time?" the captain asked this time to Ichigo, who was just ahead of the blonde blitzer, "Only Hollows, but we take care of them quickly too, like your sinpawns."

It only took a few seconds for the two to realize the info they both gave. Tidus spoke first, "Hey wait a minute, since when did you star to believe about us about Zanarkand." "Or Karakura for that matter," Ichigo added.

Wakka stopped, and so did the rest of the group who was listening in on their conversation, rubbing the back of his head as he answered, "I've been thinking, maybe the people Sin gets to don't die, maybe Sin takes them away through time, like a thousand years through time, heck, maybe even through dimensions or something," Ichigo and the others could see how that may work, "…then one day, they just pop back, see."

Lulu on the other couldn't help but say something to the hopeful blitzer, "Amazing, simply amazing," hearing this Wakka looks at the black mage, "You come up with one theory after another, refusing to face the simple truth," Lulu walks past him to get to another flight of stairs facing the next flight of stairs, "Sin didn't take Chappu anywhere, he was crushed, and left on the Djose shore." These words stung like ice to Wakka knowing the fact that she was right, but those words also affected Ichigo as well, knowing what it was like to lose family.

And as if to add salt on wounds, "Your brother won't just pop back," walking up the stairs she stopped to add another detail on the impossible, "And one more thing, no matter how much you want it, no one can take Chappu's place, not even Sir Jecht for that matter, and no one can replace Lord Braska either. It's pointless to think about it, and sad."

Wakka looks at the ground in defeat of truth; Orihime tries and comfort Wakka while the carrot top shinigami however just clenched his fists in anger. In a fit of rage, Ichigo rushes towards Lulu right in front of her path. "What is it Ichigo?" Lulu asks in her normal demeanor. "Why did you have to say that to him, about his brother and his death?" Everyone else had stared, "It was reality he had to face, the truth hurts but we need to remind us this." "Even you Lulu? Just tell me, what was he to you?"

Lulu was shocked to hear someone ask her this, she tried to answer but couldn't. That's when a smack was heard, Tatsuki gave Ichigo a hard slap on the face. "Why don't you both shut up?" The martial artist gave a concerning look at Ichigo, "Look Ichigo, I know this is a very sensitive subject for you, but that doesn't mean you have to go and ask things like that, now if you both don't mind, lets just get to the temple."

As everyone leaves to the temple, Lulu calls out to him, "Ichigo," the shinigami turns around, "what did Tatsuki mean when she said that subject was sensitive to you?" Ichigo seemed a little downcast when he tells one of his personal tales, "The thing is, I know what its like to lose family, you see, a few years back, I lost my mother. She was killed by a Hollow." Lulu's eyes widened, he didn't lose just a family member, but one of his parents, "I'm sorry, I…I didn't know," "Its okay, the experience made me what I am today, even affecting my sisters, dad especially," "Changed you for the better," Ichigo looks at the stone beneath his feet, "Yeah, but I would give anything to be with Mom again, even if its for a few minutes."

Ichigo wipes away a few tears that welled up inside him and recomposes himself, "Sorry about earlier, but I couldn't stand that," "It's okay." Ichigo starts up ascending the stairs and sees Lulu still standing in that same spot thinking, "Oi Lulu, you coming?" The black mage broke out of her trance, "Oh, I'll be there, I'm just thinking about some things," "Alright, don't be too long." Once the shinigami was out of sight at the top of the flight of stairs, a single tear fell from her face as she crossed her arms, sniffling a bit, "Chappu," was the only word she said before she fixed herself from her temporary moment of sadness to join the others.

In the shadows of the trees, two mysterious figures watched as the group that left, "Lu," was what one of them said before disappearing in a flash.

Kilika Temple

Upon entering, the Karakura group looked at the temple of flames in awe, but the moment was ruined when a rival team the Luca Goers showed up, and from the look on their uniforms, they looked pretty snobbish, especially when they were in their face swapping insults. Mostly it was the captains talking.

"So what's your goal this time, you gonna do your best again," the red headed captain named Bickson spoke in an insulting voice, "Too bad your best isn't good enough, why even bother showing up."

"Hey, why don't you prove you're the best, or are you just all talk," Tatsuki retorts to the Lucan blitz leader. "Yeah," Tidus follows up, "'cause this year, we play to win."

"Oooh, play away," Bickson mocked as they walked away, "just remember, even kids can play boys and girl."

Then a rock flew at the red headed leader and hit his head. He clutched his head where the rock hit, "Okay, who threw that." Bickson said getting everyone's attention. "Oh, sorry about that lad," a short, green haired middle aged man, with green-bluish eyes said in an Irish like accent, "I could have sworn I was aiming at a prick in one of the pillars near you, guess I must be a horrible shot." The man just giggled a bit sheepishly, most including the Aurochs and Kilika beast fans had followed the same suit because they knew it was on purpose, while the rest just glared at the man due to being some diehard Goer fans.

"Hey, I think that guy hit you on purpose," Graav pointed. "No duh you moron, what was your first clue," Bickson yelled at him. "Oi, if I may say something good lad," the no-named man said getting the Goers attention, "but do you believe in karma?" "Just what is that supposed to mean." "Oh nothing, I jus' overheard your little pep talk with the Aurochs, and all I have ta say is, don't overestimate yourself. 'Cause ye don' know who you messing with."

Bickson just smirked as well as some of others in that team, "Well, like I said to those losers even kids can play." And with that they turned to leave, once they hit the steps, the man decided to have the last word, "POSER!!"

The man then decided to walk over to the summoner and guardians and friends, "Hi there, hope you weren't discouraged by those Lucan Losers." "It was not a problem good sir," Yuna said as she bowed as well as Wakka and the Aurochs. "Ah, you mus' Lady Yuna, daughter of Lord Braska, good man he was, as well as the Guardians with him." "Excuse me, but may we have your name, before we continue this conversation," Rukia requested.

"Oh sorry, where are my manners? I'm Shurin, a wonderer of Spira," Shurin said as he bowed doing the Yevin prayer, "Pleased to be of your acquaintance, I see you have many guardians Lady Yuna," eyed the traveler.

Yuna smiled, "Yes, and I trust them with my life." "I can see that, and I can see you befriended the offspring's of Sir Jecht, Sir Isshin, and Sir Ryuken. They were former Guardians of the late Lord Braska, no."

Some of the group was taken a back as Yuna nodded her head confirming the facts there. Wakka was the first to reply, "Have you hit your head or been too close to Sin man? Lord Braska had only two guardians, Sir Jecht and Sir Auron." 'Auron, that red-coat from before was a guardian too,' Ichigo thought.

Shurin just chuckled, "Listen lad, there are things in this world that are kept only to the eyes of the leaders, things that they don't want you to believe, and the things that they make you believe." "Wha-" "Well, I should be going now, take care Yuna and friends, and heed my warning." With that, he started to head down the temple steps, "Oh and Ichigo," the said shinigami gave the man his attention, "I would like to issue a challenge between swordsmen." "What for?" "Oh, nuthin' really, I would just like see how good the son of Isshin is at the way of the sword." "When?" "At the docks tomorrow, jus considerin' that the boat won't be here for another two days. I would like the time ta be after dark. Do ye accept?" "Sure, I'll be there, tomorrow, after dark." "Best bring you're A-game lad." Those were his last words before he jumped to the tall trees on the side of the temple.

Wakka just scratched his head, "Okay, that man seriously has problems, ya. Temples having secrets, what is he getting to?" Then he looks at Yuna, "And Yuna, why did you say yes, was what he was saying true?" "Um, I was just humoring him, I mean if that man was under the influence, best not spoil it for him, I wasn't sure about that information either," Yuna says just laughing sheepishly in a un-Yuna like way.

'There's no way Wakka can believe this,' Rukia, Lulu, and Tatsuki thought surprisingly at the same time. "Ah, maybe your right, I mean, Sin's toxin is always bound to make up some weird stories in one's mind, ya." 'I guess he did,' the thought at the same time as well. Even Khimari eye twitched at the gullibility of the blitz player.

It was then there though that Chad made himself noticed again, "Excuse me Lady Yuna, but it seems that there is no need for me here." Yuna looked back at the Mexican, "Are you sure?" Chad just nodded, "Yes, I owe these people my thanks in the docks as they have saved my life on the previous week, the least I can do is help them." "Okay, I understand, but will you join us when we leave to Luca?" "I will see if I can. Thank you, Lady Yuna." He left the party as Ikkaku left too, saying that temples don't do it for him, as for the others, they walked into the temple.

Inside, they could all see the statues practically similar to the ones at the Besaid Temple. And inside the group could hear the hymn of Yevon. Wakka goes up to the statue of one of the Summoners and starts to pray, "Lord Oholland, guide our feet." Tidus and Tatsuki watch Wakka doing his prayer and they just look at each other with Tatsuki nudging her head at Wakka where Tidus shrugs his shoulders and follows Wakka's example along with Tatsuki.

Out of the Cloister of Trials were two people, a man and a woman. The man was a big, white-skinned, bulky figure, wearing only Arabian looking pants and had belt-like straps over his shoulders to his hips forming an X. The woman had mocha color skin in a very revealing suit showing her undergarments, the first thing that caught her eye was Yuna who looked back.

"A summoner are you?" the woman asked walking towards the young summoner. "My name is Yuna, from the isle of Besaid," Yuna replies. "Dona. So you're High Summoner Braska's daughter, that's quite a reputation to live up to." "Yes, it is." Yuna softly replies. The woman then looks at Wakka, Tatsuki, Tidus, Lulu and the rest of Yuna's party, "My, my, my, and all these people are your guardians?" putting a bit of emphasized disappointment in the word 'people'. "From what I recall your father had only two guardians," Dona pointed out. "I on the other hand only need one isn't that right Barthello." Her right hand man nodded with a grunt. "Quality over quantity dear." "I only have as many guardians as I can trust. I don't question your ways of your pilgrimage, as it's your way to go." Everyone in Yuna's party looks, "I only ask of this to you to leave us in peace," Dona puts her voice in a bit of annoyance, "You do what you want, Barthello we're leaving."

As the two left, the Ichigo just scoffed, "I'm going to guess that we haven't seen the last of those two." "No I suppose not," Tatsuki replied. Orhime was a little mad at the woman, "It's like everywhere we go we just somehow find somebody who's just rude and mean." "Let's ignore them Orihime, we need to get the next aeon in this temple anyways," Rukia said getting them to the task on hand, leaving to the Cloisters while Yuna looks at Tidus and smiles.

Upon entering the room they all get to the platform in the center of the small room, "The fayth is below, let's do it," Wakka says. "Well, let's go," Ichigo said before he and Tidus got pushed off the platform. "Hey what's the big idea?" Tidus said a little annoyed. "Yeah, what gives?" Ichigo said.

"You two aren't guardians yet," Lulu pointed out. "What about Uryu, shouldn't he be where we are?" Ichigo complained. "On the contrary Ichigo, I pledged to be her guardian just before the sending," said Quincy explained. "And Orihime?" The redhead just smiled nervously putting a hand behind her head and putting her hand up, "Sorry Ichigo, hehehe."

Ichigo puts his head down in defeat as Tidus tries to comfort him patting his back, "I'm sorry you two, we'll try and be back as soon as we can," Yuna reassures much to Tidus's dismay as the platform falls down. "Yeah soon, like tomorrow soon," the blitzer sarcastically remarks, as he sits on the tiles near the floor.

Ichigo over his whole disappointment episode, decided to sit on the opposite side of him and tried to start a conversation, "So Tidus, how bad was your old man as you say he is?" Tidus's face darkened a bit but due to the situation they're in the teen decides to answer, "He was a cocky ol' bastard who was as much of a jerk as those Goer guys." "Ouch, sorry I asked." "But there was always this one side of him that made me even hate him more than ever, was when he was with my mother. She was always looking at him whenever Jecht came along." "Sorry to here that."

"But the ironic thing was, when he set sail ten years ago to train, he never came back, and when the officials said they couldn't find him, my mother just lost hope," Tidus was even more depressed as he continued, "Jecht was her whole world, and I wanted him gone, but for some reason, I can't help but feel the same as my mother did at the time." "Maybe you have the same feelings as her," Ichigo tries to answer.

Tidus just sighs, "So what was your father like?" "My dad, right now I'm not even sure." "How about before you heard about him?" "Well nothing much except that he runs a small clinic that we live in. But before we lost our mother, my dad was about half as goofy as he is now." "What about you?" "I actually was a big crybaby at the time, but at the same time, I saw spirits of the dead. When I was little, I went to this kickboxing class which Tatsuki was in." "Well that explains the hand to hand fighting." Ichigo chuckled a bit, "Yeah, and every time I got be hit, I cried until my mother came by, then I would have this big grin on my face. She was practically the one that kept me, my dad and my sisters Yuzu and Karin. But one day, when we were going home on a rainy day, I saw this girl that was near the river edge and I ran to go after her like any sane person would do," here his eyes hardened, "But then my mother ran after me, I closed my eyes which was until then I felt the warmth of blood on me and saw my mother on top of me, shielding me of what could have been my death."

"I'm sorry, I never thought you had a rough life." "I told Lulu about it earlier, but I never went in depth on it with her. It wasn't until I got my powers that I found it was a Hollow called Grand Fisher that did it. All that time I blamed myself, for Mom's death." "So what happened?" "Yuzu started to take care of the house chores like a house wife along with school, Karin became tougher and strong spirited, my father had tried to even become more of a clown than he was, even attacks me on a routine basis." "Wow, that's kind of odd." "Yeah tell me about it. And with me, I started to see the souls of the dead more and more, plus helping a few children spirits to pass on with a few odd jobs. But to hear that my dad was a shinigami, I have a few questions for him when I get back."

Then all of a sudden, the doors to the Cloister of Trials were opened seeing a familiar and unpleasant face to see when Ichigo spoke, "Hey Dona, didn't you already complete these trials, why are you here?" Said woman scoffed, "Silence you ruffian." Donna then turned her attention Tidus, "Where's Yuna?" Tidus' thumb just pointed to the platform.

"Then why are you two here?" Donna asked once again. Tidus just told her the straight forward answer, "Hey, we're not guardians yet so don't look at us. 'Sides, non-guardians aren't supposed to go in right." Donna mused at this, "Hmm, not a guardian you say?" Here was the cue where Barthello took Ichigo's arm and swung Strawberry to the blitzer onto the platform.

"What the hell was that for?" Ichigo shouted. "My, what language, this only just a game," Donna said. "Huh?" Tidus and Ichigo said in unison as they looked at each other, "A game?" Then the platform started falling descending down as Donna look down at them, "Let's see how you do this time, Strawberry," Donna said. Berthello turned to her, "Are you sure you should do this?" "If I recall Barthello, this isn't dangerous, besides, _he_ requested this."

Meanwhile on the platform to the Cloister of Trials

Tidus was panicking a lot, "This is bad, really bad." "I know what you mean; I can't believe that those two pushed us on here." Once the thing had stopped, they got off then back on to get it to go up; "C'mon, go up, up," Tidus begged the platform.

"Well, I guess we have no choice but to go forward," Ichigo suggested, "Besides, if we got down here and we're stuck, we might as well go all the way." Tidus sighed, "Yeah, I mean it's not like we can't…jump…up." Then realization hit them as they smacked their heads at the same time. Ichigo offered his hand to help him jumping up the hole above them. He jumped, but it didn't have that anti-gravity feel to it, no, they felt gravity as they fell back down on their butts.

"Why don't we take Option A?" Tidus said. Ichigo didn't need to answer as they walked to the door, once arriving three feet away, the platform behind them went back up. "Only guardians are allowed right Tidus?" "Yup, and we sure as heck aren't guardians." Ichigo smirked at this, "Well they sure as hell don't understand what my name means." "Your name has a meaning?" Tidus asked. "Yeah, 'Ichi' in the first part means one, and 'go' means guardian." Tidus chuckled at this logic, "Well I can't argue with that one." "Shall we enter?" "I'm sure they will understand."

Upon entering, they do the same routine as they usually do in the cloisters, picking up orbs, placing them in pedestals, pushing them from one place to another, and even using that destruction sphere to grab one of the temples hidden treasures. Up all the way to getting to the other side of the burnable doors, where the pair entered.

Entering the sacred place, everyone was there shocked (except for Khimari who was hard to tell) that Ichigo and Tidus were there once again. "Ichigo, Tidus, what the hell? You know you aren't allowed down there," Tatsuki yelled at them. But Tidus came in their defense, "Hey, it wasn't our idea, it was Dona and muscle-head Barthello who pushed us here." Lulu was angry at the two, "But Yuna would be the one to suffer the consequences for this." "Consequences, like what?" Ichigo asked. "Yuna could be excommunicated," Wakka explained. With that, everyone went to their original places Wakka and Lulu on the left and right side of the room, Tatsuki on the right side of the chamber with Khimari on the other. Uryu was next to Lulu along with Rukia, and Orihime who walked up to the pair, "Don't worry guys, they aren't mad at you, they just worry for Yuna."

Tidus was getting an explanation about the fayth and the history of each one of how they willingly sacrificed themselves to defeat Sin. Few minutes later, Yuna came out a little weak in the knees. Everyone crowded around her to see if she was alright, "I'm okay, its fine, the fayth gave me the aeon, but before I would leave the fayth requested an audience." Everyone was a bit more or less shocked to hear this, "The fayth asked for an audience, with whom?" Wakka asked.

Yuna got up and dusted herself off, "The fayth had asked for an audience for Ichigo." Everyone had now turned their attention to the big bladed Shinigami, "Are you sure Yuna?" Rukia asked. It was Lulu's turn to speak, "Yuna is not one to lie, if she's says what she says, then let him in there."

"You sure guys?" Ichigo said with a bit of uncertainty. "Ichigo, just get there and speak to it, okay, so we can get out of here," Tatsuki said a bit annoyed.

Ichigo just then entered into the Chamber of Fayth as the door closed behind him.

Chamber of Fayth

The moment Ichigo had stepped inside, he looked around and saw nothing but candles, a few offerings, the heat of the room, and a statue of a horned beast in a thick glass dome.

Above the statue was a spirit, but he froze, as it was a spirit that he had recognized, and when it spoke, it spoke in a voice which sounded like it was wizened with age.

"Hello Ichigo, it's been a while."

"You're…"

* * *

Okay, now with this chapter done, I'll have the characters explain the challenge.

Ikkaku: Yeah, that's right, not giving me any lines will you.

Just tell them the damn challenge.

Ikkaku: Alright, alright, (sigh) Cross177 offers a sneak peek in the next chapter if anyone can tell who the hidden characters are in this chapter.

(Yumichika pops out of a hole)

Yumichika: Hint: They are characters both in FFX and Bleach. Read the text...

(Cross177 w/ chainsaw)

DAMMIT NO HINTS.

(Ikkaku pulls Yumichika away)

Ikkaku: C'mon Yumichika, that guy's crazy!!

Yumichika: Don't need to tell me twice.

(Cross177 calm down dropping chainsaw)

If you do get it right and I do send it to you, tell me how it is in a PM or a review that you havn't put in yet for a chapter.

JA NE


	8. Chapter 7: Allies and Rememberance

Yo viewer of this fic, finally updated, but you know with graduation and Community College. Some of you can get the picture. And I am sad to say that no one guessed it who the spirit is in the cliffie.

Masaki(Ichigo's Mom) is gonna appear somewhere else in this fic in the future chapters. Besides, the spirit of Ifrit is a guy.

Shinji wouldn't sound too wise.

Zangetsu's strapped on Ichigo's friggin back and could see him in the back of his friggin mind. Cause the way I see it and how it was explained in the manga and anime, Zangetsu and Hichigo are practically the same thing.

Zaraki, well you'll figure out in this chapter.

The final answer to the cliffie is....

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-

-

-

-

Gonna be answered in this chapter

* * *

Kilika Island Inn

Ichigo couldn't sleep due to what had happened and who he saw yesterday afternoon within the confines of the Kilika Temple. So quietly, he went to exit the inn and silently tip-toed away from his bed. He stopped on one of the squeaky loose floorboards and turned around looking at the others to check if anyone was awake. But all he saw was Orihime shifting in her bed with that cute little ya- '_Wait, "cute" when the hell have I ever thought of Orihime that way,' _Ichigo spoke to himself within the confines of his conscious mind.

Then spoke the unwelcome mind mate, Hichigo, "**I would have to say King, ever since our trip within Hecuo Mundo. Let's recall all those times, she cried for you and those times that you would be dead.**"Hichigo spoke to him as Ichigo walked down the stairs and out of the inn. However, Tidus, who was awake due to the squeaky floorboard, had seen the orange haired shinigami exit the inn, '_Wonder what he's doing awake, probably it's about his_ _time in that chamber Yuna was in yesterday. He seemed awfully quiet ever since."_ With those thoughts, he followed where Ichigo had left.

Dock Ports

Ichigo was thinking of his time within the Chambers of Fayth, what he saw really got him thinking

/*_Flashback_*/

"_Hello Ichigo, it's been a while."_

"_You're Genryusai-ossan."_

_The old shinigami leader, or former, considering his current circumstances chuckled, "I think for once, I had missed the tone of your voice."_

"_What are you doing here?" Ichigo asked_

"_Living out my imprisonment," answered the old man, which shocked the young shinigami._

"_Imprisonment?"_

"_Yes, and I have been like this for the past 1000 years since the first time Sin was here."_

"_Whoa, since Sin, like when me and the others were sucked into that vortex."_

_Genryusai shook his head, "No not since your disappearance. Farther into the future when one had entered the King's realm and unleashed that dark power." _

_Ichigo stared in wonder, "What had ever happened to the other shinigami?"_

_Genryusai only closed his eyes, only in what seemed like pain to him, "Our numbers have thinned, they either have died, within hiding, or became the aeons that I have so become."_

"_But how, how did you become an aeon?"_

"_Do you remember the shinigami that was sealed and released before you defeated him?"_

"_Yeah, the one that became one with his zanpakuto?"_

_Genryusai nodded and immediately, Ichigo had got the idea, "You mean…"_

"_Yes, I became one with my zanpakuto after a mutual agreement with it, either it was the destruction of most our race or the humans," the former 1__st__ captain of the Gotei 13 explained. "Hmmm, looks like our time is cut short, I have given you the information of the history so far, is there anything else that you would like to know?"_

_Ichigo had thought about it and remembered the details he needed to know, about his own father, "What do you know about Isshin Kurosaki, my father?" The ex-1__st__ division captain eyes widened at the name, "Isshin, I have not heard that name in a long time, I had thought he was dead." "Dead, wouldn't he be about as dead as you were already?" "I meant dead within our own terms. As in no linger existing."_

_The translucent spirit shivered signaling to the old man, "Ichigo Kurosaki, I will leave you with this message as my time is almost up; everything is not as it seems in this place anymore as people are blinded by this faith. You and your friends must stop the end of this unbalance between the spirits and humans. Or this world will be brought into an everlasting death by the power thought to be controlled."_

_The pyreflies holding the spirits human form started to disperse, "Wait!!!," Ichigo called out to him, "What of you or the other aeons like you? What about the rouges that attacked me and everyone else?"_

"_Go to the aeons when they call you, just let us stop dreaming the everlasting dream we see in our waking eyes. The rouges is what you would have to find out for yourself." With those last words the old man disappeared into the bestial glass encased statue._

/*End Flashback*/

"Well, well, well, nice to see someone is on time," said the familiar voice from yesterday. It was Shurin whom of which to his surprise, was walking on top of the ocean in front of him.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Ichigo yelps in surprise of hearing the green haired man's voice coming out of nowhere. Realizing his little yell Ichigo clamped his mouth shut with his hands.

Shurin just chuckled, "Don't worry about waking up anybody I placed a kido barrier that seals all spiritual activities to spirits and the spiritually aware alone."

"Kido barrier? Then that means…"

"I guess you finally figured it out," says Shurin as he waves his right hand in front of him as his clothes pixilated into shinigami robes with a blade to his right where the hilt is shaped as a shield.

"As you can see, as one shinigami to another, I would like to test the waters of one as famous as you within the Farplane," Shurin onece more chuckles, "You and several others vanish from the face of Spira for several thousand years, and then all of a sudden we hear those same people have come back after so long."

"So why is it that you want to fight me?"

"To test your strength and see if you're strong enough like my captain said you were," the now revealed shinigami confessed going into a draw stance at his sword.

By now Ichigo drew out Zangetsu from its bandages. With a war cry from both swordsmen, they flew at each other with such a force it created a violent wind and the water to go into a rippling effect.

Tidus, who was behind a fence on the dock, shielded his eyes to keep the sea water out of his eyes, as he watched the fight that was happening now.

Inn

Everyone was asleep, but a wind had woken up Yuna, Lulu, and Orihime. They looked at each other as Lulu was the first to speak, "Did any of you feel that?" Both nodded when the silence was broken and had followed into sword clangs.

The girls had followed their sights to a few empty beds, telling them that both Ichigo and Tidus were gone. By then they heard rapid clangs from swords. They walk down the stairs and out of the inn to find the sounds of metal against metal toward the docks with Tidus watching the events that involved the two swordsmen.

"Tidus, what's going on?" Lulu asked. "It's that guy we met yesterday; he said he was also a shin-, Shini- er…" Tidus stumbles at the name. "A Shinigami," Orihime and Yuna finish for him. "Yeah, that's it, like Ichigo, Ikkaku, and Rukia."

"What exactly is a shinigami?" Lulu inquired. "A shinigami is a being that governs the souls between the living and the dead," Yuna answered, much to the surprise of Orihime. "How do you know so much about shinigami Yuna?"

"Like that man said yesterday, my father was accompanied by five guardians not two," Yuna explained

Meanwhile with Ichigo

"Well Ichigo, how do you feel about now, a bit more rejuvenated, able to move more freely now?" Shurin asks.

His question hits to Ichigo, 'Now that he mentions it, I feel less restrained unlike the last few days. Why?'

Shurin goes and charges at the kid, locking blades with Ichigo in a power struggle occasionally getting out of the struggle for another lock, "You can probably wonder how it is that you feel as your normal shinigami self. Well, to answer that question, you and your fellow shinigamis have had your powers drained slowly; barely even letting you or I use your shunpo. The first time when you used it at the Isle of Besaid you probably had that draining feeling after killing that Garuda." By then, they both pushed away out of that struggle, "Then when you tried to 'hop' out of the Cloister of Trials, very funny by the way."

W/ Yuna

"Over ten years ago, just as my father was leaving Bevelle for his Pilgimage, a strange light flew through the sky and hit into the forest of the Macalania Woods. My father, Sir Jecht, and Sir Auron had gone to see where it landed and found Sir Isshin, Sir Ryuken, and Sir Kisuke," Yuna explained.

"So Ichigo's and Uryu's dads plus Urahara-san really came here long ago," Orihime summed up.

"Yes, the last time I saw them was when they guided Khimari to Bevelle to watch over me andtook me to grow up in Besaid," Yuna had finished.

Lulu then took notice of the conversation with Ichigo and the stranger from yesterday, "Everyone, I think we're about to find out more about shinigamis." At this point everyone shut up to listen.

With the shinigami battle

"What are you getting on about?" Ichigo yelled. "After your father and his friends stopped Sin ten years ago as Lord Braska's guardians, that which had brought back Sin stunted our powers five years ago and threw a cloak that reveals our existence, as well as bringing those renegades that want you."

"You know of them?" "Well of course, they are part of my generation," Shurin just sighs, "but enough of the small talks, let's get to fightin'." Shurin went for a surprise attack as he jetted across on the water with the blade slicing into the ocean water. Going for the upward slash Shurin struck with Ichigo blocking it parrying getting Shurin into another strike.

Strike after strike, parry after parry, both Shinigami aimed for a goal of winning so Ichigo pushed Shurin back to gather his reishi to prepare for his signature attack, "GATSUGA TENSHO!!!" With a great swing, the wave of reishi flew at the opposing shinigami, catching him unaware trying to recover from the push. The attack connected and soon Shurin was flying back with a few tumbles before he skidded onto his feet with the tip of his zanpakuto touching the waters.

"Going all out huh, Ichigo," Shurin commented, "Well then, maybe I should too." He held his blade out, "Rise your holy blades, GILGAMESH!!!!" His zanpakuto glowed and turned into a giant curved schimitar (Odin's blade from FF8).

Shurin's grin grew, "Looks like I got lucky, so check yourself because I'm gonna give you the best of my best."

Ichigo swung a vertical variation of his Gatsuga Tensho where Shurin jumped into it, "Is he crazy?" Tidus exclaimed. "No, I got a feeling that blade of his is more than it seems," Lulu answered.

"ZANTETSUKEN!!!" Shurin used his mighty blade to cut through the reishi fang and kept going at Ichigo after slicing through his attack only to block the finishing swing with Zangetsu causing a shockwave unawares to everyone else except those still awake thanks to the barrier. Both were blown back a bit and found themselves on the opposite ends of each other in an attacking stance. "Well looks like you're adequate enough, not like your father, but just enough," Shurin says breaking his stance walking away. "Hey, where are you going?" Ichigo demanded.

"Home my friend, and due to the spectators we have here, I'm just going the long way, don't want to let strangers to my home," Shurin smiled as Ichigo eyed the four that were on the docks. "Oh, and for the record, I could have cut through your Zangetsu if I didn't let up on the blow. If I went full force, I would have cut your ass right in half. Check your blade if you don't believe me."

Ichigo took a glance and saw that Shurin didn't lie. There was a crack halfway across the blade. Ichigo looked up and found that Shurin was gone without a trace. And with him gone, the barrier dispersed and gave way which in turn plummet Ichigo into the salty drink. In minutes, Tidus was able to retrieve Ichigo since Ichigo couldn't properly balance himself due to the shock of his powers draining and feeling the after pain of going out of the barrier.

On the docks when Ichigo hacked out some of the ocean water from his lungs, he sees the mages, the amateur swordsman and the Shun Shun user in front of him. "Ichigo, are you alright?" Orihime asks. "Fine," Ichigo grunts holding his stomach, "but still alive." Yuna holds her hands to the area Ichigo is holding and casts a Cure spell causing Ichigo to sigh in a bit of relief as the pain subsided.

"So you guys saw what happened?" asked the shinigami. "And heard everything as well," Lulu said, "So you're really are from the past." "Like me, Uryu, Rukia, Tatsuki, Ikkaku and Chad," Orihime spoke.

"So how far back are you guys from?" Tidus asked. "Shurin said about several thousand years, long before your Zanarkand came along," Ichigo answered.

"Why don't we discuss this later?" Yuna inquired "She's right," Lulu said looking up at the moon, "It's pretty late now, and our boat arrives in the afternoon tomorrow.

Soul Society(?)

Shurin and a hooded shinigami had entered the office of the eleventh squad captain whom of whice was standing, looking out the window watching plants waver and shinigami train and socialize in the tattered and frayed 11th captain vest, "So, how was Ichigo?" said a teenage girl's voice, late teens possibly. The question was directed to Shurin, "Oh he was great, sucks sensing others but he's fun to fight." She smiled, "That's good, and how about you Hoodie, did you have a good time in the land of the living, see any familiar faces?"

The hooded character bowed his head low, "Ya', I saw some familiar face ya. Thank you for letting me go with him."

She turns towards them and sits on the chair at her desk, "You're welcome, but I have to ask, why didn't you see her upfront instead of hiding in the trees?"

Looking at him he thought for a moment but as he was about speak, the head captain interrupted holding a hand up, "Ah, ah, don't need to say it, but if you do see her again, you should show yourself, to her and your brother." These words put him to think as the 11th Division Captain continues speaking, "Okay, so you should rest up, there's a game coming up in a couple of days, so be ready for Luca by then."

The two bow and exit the office, as they left, the female captain gives out a girlish giggle, "Soon we get to play together Ichy."

Kilika (early afternoon)

The S.S. Liki was filling up as blitzball players, viewers, summoners and guardians boarded onto the boat, with everyone well rested, the aurochs were getting in some practice on the boat. It was still a few hours before it left.

Yuna and her group were just off on the docks checking their equipment and such. "So is everyone set and ready, ya?" Wakka asks. Yuna nods as everyone else did, "So since everyone's ready, lets get on the boat," Tatsuki said. "Off to Luca at last," Wakka said as he got up.

"Hey Ichigo, wait for us," A familiar voice called out. Turning around they saw it was Ikkaku with his zanpakuto over his shoulder, "You didn't think you were gonna leave us here do you?" "Us?" Wakka asks.

Cries of children were heard as they see Chad walking towards the docks with a bunch of children following him with some on his shoulders and back. When Chad got to the boat he let the kids he was carrying off him when one of the kids asks him, "But Chad, do you really have to go?" "Sorry, but I have to help my friends." The Mexican looks at the kid who was talking to him, "You know, you look like a kid I know back home, don't worry, I promise to come back here someday." This brought a smile to the child's face letting out tears at the same time. "Promise," the child says holding out his pinky, "Promise," Chad replies gripping the kid's pinky with his.

He turns to Yuna's group and sees them smiling, "Always the gentle giant, eh Chad," Ichigo says. As Chad walks to the group, Yuna walks to Chad and says, "Chad, I would like to ask, will you please be my guardian?" Looking at Tatsuki, Orihime, Rukia and Ichigo, he nods, "A friend of my friend is a friend to me, I will assist you in any way I can." Yuna smiles at him, "Thank you Sir Chad."

As she allows Chad onto the boat, she looks at Ikkaku, but before she could say anything, "Don't ask, I'm only following you guys until the next stop, I'm not interested in any guardianship of any sorts."

Wakka was about to say something about his "disrespect" towards Yuna, but Lulu stopped him, "Don't Wakka, he has his reasons, and has a right to not accept." Wakka sighs, she got him there, "Alright," he turns to the Aurochs whom were standing in a huddle next to some Kilika players, "well, let's get well rested on the boat, the matches start when we get there, ya."

S.S Liki (late afternoon)

At this moment of the dark of night, two things were going on, one was a crowd forming in the back of the deck of the boat around Yuna with Khimari and Chad, while Wakka and Lulu went up above the deck for what, only they will know. On the same floor, Ikkaku was currently under the umbrella with a gourd of sake in his hand. Tatsuki and Orihime was talking about friends back in their own time, and Ichigo, Rukia, and Tidus were in the spare room under the deck near the stairs with the Aurochs and some of the other opposing blitzers.

Currently they were talking about what had happened in the previous night and the info relayed to them by Shurin. Rukia in terms was in a bit of disbelief, "Well, if anything, we still need to get back home. If we need to defeat this Sin to do it, then I guess we keep going. Though I still can't wrap my mind around your Dad being a shinigami acting the way he does. I only sensed a sliver of reishi from him. So considering the circumstances, either Isshin's powers diminished over the years, or he has very good control over hiding his powers."

Ichigo got up and stretched, "Well, instead of worrying of the distant problems, let's go and see what the others are doing." Both nodded and headed upstairs to the deck, once there Rukia went to Tatsuki and Orihime as Tidus and Ichigo headed towards Yuna's crowd of fans. "Hey, whatcha all talkin about?" Tidus asks to the crowd. The red haired Bickson turned to the blonde blitzer, "And who are you supposed to be?"

Ichigo had decided to back off on the spat that he predicted would happen here between two guys. That's when the orange-haired shinigami noticed Wakka and Lulu's voices above him.

"Well, say something," Lulu demanded. "Hey relax Lu, he's bound to find someone in Luca," Wakka answered. "But what if he doesn't?" the Black Mage retorted. "Well he could always join a blitz team," Wakka answered with a low tone, "Besides, It's better than leaving him in Besaid." "So you're saying that you would leave him in Luca," Lulu growled with a bit of disappointment in Wakka's choice of words. "Well what do you want me to do?" "If I recall, Yuna wants to make Tidus a guardian."

Wakka frowned a bit remembering that time in the Kilika forest, "Oh yeah, forgot about that." "And who's fault is that?" Lulu asked, knowing Wakka knew the anwer. "Not mine!" Wakka denied, but one look at Lulu, "It is mine, huh," Wakka admitted with his head down.

Ichigo just sat at the steps hoping to listen some more.

"So why do you think that Yuna wants to make that kid a guardian?" Wakka asked. "Because he's Sir Jecht's son," Lulu stated Wakka cocked an eyebrow a bit skeptical at this info, "You sure about that, you sure he's Sir Jecht's son?" "Yuna seems to think so, though I not so sure, kind of hard to say."

Wakka just shrugged his shoulders, "Okay." "Okay? OKAY? Is that all you have to say about that?" Lulu spoke, aggravated at Wakka's attitude, and in Ichigo's point of view, he was too. "Well if you think about it, Tidus AND Yuna have the final say in it, like that bald guy we met a couple of days back on that trail."

"You're right, for once." Ichigo smirked, "What about Ichigo?" The orange haired shinigami turned his attention to the conversation again, "What about him, I mean more or less, he's going to be a guardian too ya." "True, but that's not what I'm talking about." "You mean with Lord Braska having five guardians not two," Lulu nods confirming his answer. "Well I still pin it on the toxin; you know how imaginative they get after getting too close to Sin." "I know, but now I'm not so sure," Lulu replied biting on her thumb. "Don't tell me you believe that whack job at the temple," Wakka spoke incredulously.

"Wakka, ever since Rukia and Tatsuki came to Besaid, I felt something familiar to Rukia's clothes. And when I saw Ichigo for the first time, that familiarity came back." "What, you saying that green haired guy were telling the truth, that the temples are keeping secrets," Wakka nearly snapped. "I don't know, maybe, maybe not. But looking back when Lord Braska came with his two guardians, I saw outlines of people, I think because that time I was still at a moderate level as a mage. Yuna probably saw them because she's Braska's daughter, who was one of the best summoners out there that lived to bring the Calm." "Hey I was there when Braska came to Besaid too but I didn't see anyone else but Sir Jecht and Sir Auron. How do you explain that?"

"I can probably explain that," Ichigo answered revealing himself from the stairs. "How long were you there?" Wakka asked a bit embarrassed. "Long enough, but anyways, I can probably explain why you couldn't see them. I understand Lulu, because as a mage from what I understand has to have a high enough spiritual sense to use those spells, you on the other hand never trained in magic so your spiritual sense is on the low. Yuna was probably born with a high sense of spiritual awareness like I was. That's probably why that fish hollow thing came by after Sin had attacked." "So those Hollow things attack beings with high spiritual prowess," Lulu concluded. "More or less," Ichigo said with the final word.

Wakka humphed, "I still don't buy the whole your father a guardian, no offence." "None taken, I didn't know my father was a guardian or anything else but a goofy medic." "What about your mother?" "She died from one of those things that attacked us on the boat," he said sadly, "Lulu knows." Wakka looked at her but she looked away. "Hey sorry ya, but we always move on, at least you remember your parents." "I'm sorry." "It's okay, I learned to live with it, even Chappu's death, sadly both of us never even remembered our parents." Lulu looked off into the ocean, "I was five when my parents died, so I do remember them a little."

Ichigo feeling way too much doom and gloom in this atmosphere; Ichigo tries to change the subject, "Well enough of the past, what were you guys talking about anyways?" "Well, we were talking about what to do with Tidus after the game." "Why don't you let him be a guardian? Besides from what I see, both Yuna and Tidus have an eye for each other," Ichigo suggested with a smile. Lulu smiled a bit at this, "Well if we do decide to have him be a guardian, let Wakka talk him into it."

"Hey, why me?" Wakka argued. "'Cause Yuna can't." Lulu spoke back. "Why not?" The blitzer argued once more. "Think about it, Tidus hates his father, do you really think that Yuna go and say 'Will you be my guardian, just as your father was to mine?'" "Isn't that being a little over sensitive?" Lulu just glared at him, making the orange haired blitzer flinch. Ichigo smiled as he walked down to the deck as he heard Wakka agree to convince Tidus into guardian ship before following Ichigo.

On the front of the boat, they see Tidus in front of the blitzball looking as if he was deep in thought or something. Then he kicks the ball to the steps in front of him, followed by a upper kick, to a headbutt for another rebound off the steps, adding with a punch bumping it up high in the air. And with a big leap he starts spinning himself with enough speed to keeping himself up there long enough to deliver the final kick to the ball, sending it off the boat curving itself up high.

Tidus' eyes follow the ball as well as his spectators as the blonde blitzer grinned, "The best, yeah right."

At that moment he felt someone behind him seeing Tatsuki, Wakka, and the rest of the Aurochs crowding around him. Wakka had big happy grin on his face, "Whoa man, what was that called?"

"It doesn't have a name, but everyone can do it if they try." Wakka just handed him the ball in his hands, "You think you can show us one more time." The blond blitzer took the ball and set it on the ground; everyone moves to give him some space. There, he sees Yuna to the side as she waves at him with a smile on her face; something told him that Jecht probably showed her that shot at one time or another.

Going back to the blitzball, he takes a deep breath, and kicks….

Timeskip, few minutes later

Tidus and Yuna spoke later after while the others tried to imitate their teammate's shot. Tatsuki was the only one out of place of this picture, "So you're not going to try that out," Ichigo inquired next to her, "Nah, that shot was original move of his family, I just can't take that from him." Both take a peek at the two lovebirds talking away, from what they saw something funny came up between the two.

"So you gonna tell her?" Tatsuki asked. "What?" "Orihime, are you gonna tell Orhime what you think about her?" Ichigo just looked back at the martial artist, "How long have you known?" "Few weeks after you brought her back from that Aizen guy you told us about," Tatsuki answered. She smirked, "You know she likes you, as more than a friend." "Yeah, but I don't think I can bring myself to tell her," Ichigo said looking down on the floor he's standing on. He took one quick glance at her talking to Rukia with a laugh that he found cute. "You know, if you keep waiting, she'll never know until it's too late, and leave yourself as a blithering mess Ichigo."

With those final words she walked off to the cabins below deck. Taking another glance at Orihime, he walked down too to get some shuteye.

Somewhere

"So they found him huh?" Shu's voice echoes in the room. "What does that mean, leader?" Chu's voice asks to his brother.

"It means," Shin's voice speaks, "That Ichigo has refused us, by coming in contact with them."

Kana pouts, "Oh pooh, I would have liked to have fun with a legend like him."

Bez starts to snigger, soon turning to a cackle, then a full blown psychotic laughter, "Oh this in gonna get good, I can't wait to taste his blood on my blade." He continues to laugh as he licks his lips in anticipation.

"Calm down Bez, you'll have your chance, I'm sure our other friend is gonna enjoy fighting that kid right," Shin answers to the shadows on his right.

The figure in the shadows smiles, vaguely seeing a bone like substance on his right check and feral turquoise eyes, "Ichigo Kurosaki."

* * *

Okay kiddies, that was a good chapter right.

And if you guys couldn't figure out who Hoodie and the guy in the shadows was, I'LL HUNT YOU DOWN AND GUT YOU LIKE A PIG.

If you have anything else to say please press the star key

beeeeeep


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